You know Seamus, I didn't expend a lot of energy or time on that part, but it just had to be there. Wouldn't have been right without it...

A few more photos before the weekend is over..

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Looking good Jamie. My first step on recovery from AMS was "if you can't see it, why paint it".
Now I'm up to "if you can't see it, don't build it." Well sometimes anyway. 🙂

Started assembling all the peripherals today. Main gear and tail wheel are painted and ready to go. Added the lower forward fuselage and got the carb scoop put together. There were a few small gaps that needed to be filled, one at the aft lower wing-fuselage joint and the seam where the forward fuselage piece meets the wing. I'll let that dry overnight before sanding it down. After that, she's ready for paint...

Back to work on the Spit. Cleanup and masking, then shot the sky lower surfaces and the dark earth on the uppers. The sky is AeroMaster RLM 84 left over from the Seafire project. The dark earth is a Model Master color lightened with a few drops of white to fade it out a bit. I'll let it cure overnight before masking off and shooting the dark green. All the subassemblies (prop, landing gear, etc) are done and ready to attach once the paint and decals are on. I've decided to do the 610 Squadron markings using the kit decals.

3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Your paint is looking good Jaime. Another thing about older Tamiya decals, test one you won't need to see if it shatters as soon as it hit's the water. If it does a coat of Microscale Liquid Decal Film painted over the whole sheet will save them. Regardless if they shatter or not, my technique for standard Tamiya decals is to use very hot water, full strength Solvaset, and a hair dryer to "melt" them into the clear coat. One note of caution, you'll want to practice that a few time before you go "live" with it, the hair dryer part can be tricky...ask me how it know.. 😉

Seamus and Rick - thanks for the info on the decals. The sheet in my kit looks pretty good, and I was going to ask if Solvaset would be too strong for those. Good to know that it's not. I may just go ahead and coat the decal sheet to ward off any potential problems. Don't think I'm going to try the hair dryer thing just yet! I'm guessing a good coat of Future would be a good idea before decalling?

Al, I usually thin my paint 50/50 with laquer thinner, using the Mk. I eyeball method, and shoot at about 15-20 psi. I've been reducing the thinner a bit because due to the heat here because the paint is almost dry before it hits the model. I was able to mask off the underside about an hour after painting so I could shoot the upper dark earth color. That took a little longer to dry because I adjusted the laquer thinner ratio a bit. I use blue Scotch painters tape for my masking and have had no trouble at all with it. After wiping the model down with alcohol (to remove finger oil and mold release) I usually shoot a thin first coat and let it dry for a few minutes before I shoot the final coat. Those little first aid alcohol wipes will work well for the wiping down, though I usually use a soft cloth.

I've never airbrushed acrylics, but a good friend of mine swears he'll disown me if I ever do!

Back into the hangar for more paint. Dark green applied, again, a Model Master color lightened with some white. I've been having a little trouble with the regulator on my air compressor, took a few tries to get it going this time.

Spitfire MK I in the experimental Mexican Skunk Works scheme of Scotch Blue and Rio Grande sand:

The result of three hours of masking and three minutes of painting:

On the final stretch now. Paint will cure for a few days while I head off for a weekend trip and then I'll start getting decals on. I'll post finished pictures on the group build reveal day.