The engine looks great already, Chuck @uscusn
Is the trolley part of this kit as well?

With the engine assembled, next is to assemble the engine cowling.

Made up of 4 pieces, will mate just the 3 halves for now and leave the 3rd panel off for now as this can be displayed open.

The engine slips into a pair of notches and settles into the cowling, fit it good not tight where you have to wrestle with in some cases.

Next is to attach the bulges around the cowling and lower intake scoop.

Starting with the intake scoop is attached below the cowling.

Several individual bulges are then attached around the cowl, some are already moulded into the cowl.

After the exhaust stacks are attached, then I preshade the cowl with Tamiya semi gloss black

With Black in the airbrush, I go ahead and preshade the undersurfaces.

Using Tamiya Yellow, I airbrush the cowling. And a mix of Vallejo Copper,Steel to paint the cowl ring. Then attache the ring to the cowl.

next some final clean up, attach the windscreen and mask
more to follow

The color on that cowl ring is looking great.

Masking off the yellow ID band and lower wing tips. The pre shading is then completed over the airframe.

Next is to mask off the canopy and the open style of side drop down windows.

Once the masking is applied, in this case not long with the minimal amount of glass on the Saetta. The exposed framing is painted the interior color of Pale Green.

Next is the under surface color of Italian Lt Blue Grey.

Airbrushed the Lt Blue Grey, don't forget to the gear doors and lower flaps.

Next up more masking, and prepare to airbrush the upper paint scheme.

More to follow.

Very nice painting progress, Chuck @uscusn

This is looking really really amazing Chuck @uscusn. Keep up the awesome work.

Next up is airbrushing the 3 tone upper surfaces.

Before painting the upper surfaces, this would be a good time to install the elevators to the horizontal stabs.

I decided to have these drooped down. Just to add some character..

Now to airbrush the tu-tone Green and Red Brown colors to the upper surfaces. The two shades are very close and difficult to distiguish.

The upper colors also wraps around the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabs. These have been masked off for a hard edge.

Now the Tan smoke rings are freehanded over the upper surfaces. Random clusters of 3 in a circular pattern, faded to a solid tan blended into each ring. Starting slowly and knowing that I have a Veltro with a similar scheme but this time the tan over the Green camo verse Green over tan. Still it takes about an hour to do lay the rings.

Next is to remove the masks over the Yellow Id markings. Silver pencil is used for high wear areas, edges where paint flakes off, hatch and doors edges.

The lower masks are removed.

Next a clear coat is applied.

Next up apply the markings.
More to follow...