Superb progress and great looks, my friend @clipper!
Excellent job, especially on the tricky hum area!

Thanks Spiros (@fiveen) and John (@johnb). Now that I am doing this, it doesn't seem so much like Mount Everest climbing as it once did. It really just takes patience and a willingness to get through it. I am looking forward to the painting stage.

Hello again Carl.
It’s been way too long since I’ve checked in here. I have just finished getting caught up with your progress. It’s looking great !

I have used Bare Metal Foil on a lot of my builds. Some of them have been posted here on Imodeler.

I have found that the foil has a lengthwise grain in it. I think it’s part of the manufacturing process. The grain runs lengthwise on the roll.

You can get different visuals by mixing the orientation of the foil as you place it on the model. Try turning the next foil piece 90 degrees in either direction when compared to the foil that you are working next to.

The foil will have a different reflective property that is noticeable when you look at the surface.

As far as sanding goes I would think twice before I did that. It’s much easier to simply scuff the foil on the roll before you apply it to the model. I would highly recommend using a Scotch brite pad in place of very fine sandpaper.

You can also knock down the shine a little bit by simply spraying a clear flattened coat on top of the foil. The more you spray the flat on top of the foil surface the more it will look like it is oxidized.

It will start to look like the aluminum has oxidation in it as you spray more coats on top of the foil. I recommend using something like a Future to seal the decals in as well.

You should also use caution when you are masking on top of the foil. If the tape is too aggressive and it sticks well then there’s a chance it will pull off the foil as you remove the tape.

Sorry I didn’t chime in earlier but I hope this helps you with finishing this up.

You’re knocking it out of the park !

I hope to stay up with your progress in the future.

Always good to try first before working on the real subject, Carl @clipper
Looking forward to your final choice.

I didn't get much opportunity for modeling today, but I did take time to try and figure out an experiment and test plan for the painting and weathering of the foiled aircraft. I wanted to be able to compare each step with previous steps as well as how they work with follow on techniques, all the while retaining the previous work in case something doesn't work out. Perhaps I am overthinking this, but it took some doing before I came up with a plan.

I am going to first concentrate on general tonal differences between panels, then on the mottled effect on bare aluminum that has seen some use. The basic tonal differences I am going to test are overcoating with matte clear coat, sanding with 3000 grit , scuffing with scotch brite, and applying various colors of very diluted filters (95% thinner 5% paint). The mottleing will be experimented using post shading and oils (as separate tests).

I also want to test how decals look after application, specifically the carrier film and whether or not I can hide this if it is a problem. I didn't start any of this today, simply came up with a plan to do so. I plan to get started this week (still have other modeling projects to work on as well).