Decided to work on a new Italian kit - The Seagull 'Gabbiano' CANT Z.501. Used widely before and during WW2 but made to try and build good favour for Italy and Mussolini and break records showing the Italian Aviation prowess, but this hampered it wartime performance.

Used a lot for reconnaissance, this very interesting plane makes for a nice model. Let's see how it goes.

The very old style instructions make for some interesting and confusing reading.

Decals are a bit yellowed and old but hopefully some time in the sun and a clear coat will fix them up.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Here is the wood finish

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Back to the cockpit and some hairspray chipping, the cockpit was clear coated then sprayed with hairspray and then the green interior paint was applied, and lighted and given some mottling for a bit of depth and interest.

Then the magic, before it had dried too long a wet cotton bud rubbed onto it starts to remove some of the paint and reveal the wood beneath. Very happy with the result and the quick mockup.

3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Amazing progress, my friend @anthonyricco!

An oldie but goody Italeri, nice choice. Good size for this scale. Off to a nice start with the interior. Looking forward to whats next.

So next up on the CANT was the struts and pontoons. and a quick mockup for fun - quite big it's 72nd scale and the wigspan is longer than a 1/48 Tornado.

3 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Thanks a lot Spiros

Then the challenge of the sunburst on the top of the wings, they all converge to a very tight point so when I masked it in place the tape overlapped, tried cutting thin strips, doing one at a time, then finally I printied out the artwork, stuck a piece of plastic over it and then cut the tape out on there and then moved it onto the plane, That plan worked. - Very happy with the sunburst.

5 attached images. Click to enlarge.