Walt, @luftwaffe-birdman
I just went back and read this journal again. You have done some great work here. I have experienced problems in the past with silver paint and also lost a lot of work when tape removed a good portion of the sprayed on red / white tail stripes on an AMT 1/48 scale A-20 Havoc I have. This plane has been setting on the shelf of doom for at least 7 years now. I simply got so frustrated I walked away from it and have yet to go back and finish it up. It had full intentions of covering it in "Bare Metal Foil", to replicate a natural metal finish that was highly polished... and I eventually will some day.

Here's what I'm getting to: You might be able to use some bare metal foil for the leading edges where the de icing boots were removed. They make a color called "Matt Aluminum" and you can alter the shine by spraying on Dull coat or something similar. The more flat coats you apply, the less the intensity of the shine.

Another option to help you with masking, is you can simply wrap your model in household aluminum foil. Tape it along the edges and as long as there are no pinholes or leaks, you will be good to go.

I have used this method and it works fine. Hope this helps.

Your OD Green paint work looks splendid... 🙂

Walt, @luftwaffe-birdman
The AMT A-20 is seriously under rated. I enjoyed the building part, and I got a set of resin wheels for it. Some think the cockpit and rear gunner's station are too plain. Could be, but I didn't do anything extra with mine. If I didn't have the troubles with the paint peeling away, it would have been finished years ago... I really should put it back on the bench. I think I started a build journal on it here several years ago, but I never went anywhere with it.

Please let us know how the leading edges turn out for you.

Louis @lgardner that looks like a fun build, but see what happened to your foil. If I remember correctly it takes alcohol to dissolve the adhesive. Here are some scans of my B-29 from the Nationals in 1982. I foiled it and motorized it. I did a 1/72 scale one for the VP of Boeing after he saw the 1/48th scale one. I like the foil, it looks good, I encourage you to finish...you did some nice work up to that point! Believe me I was tempted to put the B-17 aside...well I did... but I mean pack it up aside not just a little diversion. I am glad I went back to it. It won't be perfect but I know it will be done.

1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

That's a beautiful B-29, Walt @luftwaffe-birdman!
Louis @lgardner, once we clear up some bench space, how about finishing your A-20, me joining you with my AMT P-70?

Very nice, Walt.
Those edges look really sharp.

Looking absolutely amazing, Walt.
Waiting for your decals!

Just went through your build journal for the Swoosh Goose Walt, and I would say you're doing some excellent work with that old kit. Slow but steady wins the race as the old saying goes. Walt as per AMT A-20's I've build 4 to date and they're posted here on iModeler. Good little kits IMHO, did add AM wheels and the life boat and have one in the stash with the Victor AM navigator station upgrade to get to some day. Keep up the good work.

Well my LOVE-HATE relationship with decals continues. I struggled with wrinkles again on SOME of the markings others, put on in the same fashion just snuggled down nicely. The main artwork for the nose when sliding it off the paper shattered into many pieces. A chunk fell off the top, and the main disk turned into a palm frond. I was able to reassemble most of it, and then paint in the missing details. This will definitely not be a show winner but I am determined to finish it and issues aside, I am actually liking the way it is looking.

5 attached images. Click to enlarge.