Thanks my friend @chinesegeorge!

I smeared some clear blue paint over the steel painted engine areas, in order to simulate the uneven bluish shade that is observed in reality:

Decalling started

Thanks my friend @johnb! A lengthy, but very enjoyable build so far, a big model, difficult to handle!

Those huge decals are challenging indeed @fiveten
You achieved a great save on them.

Spiros, I know the sensation you had with those stencil decals, often those tiny decals have a tendency to wrap themselves up and it’s very frustrating to get them in place without damage
Your gigantic Sukhoy is indeed a very impressive model, and that air superiority camouflage is awesome

Coming along beautifully, Spiros. I love you airbrush work on the camo. The cockpit color looks really accurate and quite vivid to me.

Decals are such a unique challenge. Ironically the best in quality - i.e. thinnest - tend to be the trickiest to handle. I always try to flood the decal with warm water where it is placed, if it is necessary to reposition it or get wrinkles out. Nonetheless, this can weaken acrylic paint underneath so it can be nerve-wracking. I also dab with a damp microfibre cloth to flatten the decal, before applying softeners. That's my two sense worth, anyway. Obviously your own technique has worked well here.

Your challenges in handling this big beast remind me of building the Trumpeter P-38. With heavy nose weights installed, it was constantly trying to twist out of my hands and crash to the floor.

Looking forward to seeing this in all its completed glory. Great work so far!

Decalling still going on...