Fully understand you like the small steps, Erik.
The smaller the detail, the more realistic the build will be.
Those hatches do look wonderfull.

Paint looks great, Erik (@airbum). Masking fluid can be tough. I once was pushing so hard on a toothpick I was using to remove the dry liquid masking that I broke the canopy. I always try to get it off within a day or two of putting it on. The hatches look fine. I have probably tried everything to glue photoetch in place: superglue, white glue, Future, regular glue, etc. It all works sometimes, and sometimes none of it works. :o)

Thining armour

Another small adjustment is the thinning of the head-armour

Of course I could use some of the PE headarmour I have laying around (and that may yet happen), but I try to thin down the styrene part

It took very little time to come to this, a bit more work is needed, some paint, and I shall decide if it will be used.

Thanks for all the kind words and additional tips and tricks gentlemen. I appreciate them all!
John @JohnB, very true indeed – and will be trying my best.
Spiros @fiveten, very nice decals indeed, as I have come to expect from Eduard
George @gblair, the masking fluid was a real setback – and the result of my little grey cells forgetting all about it being there. The small hatches have been added by some thin superglue, and of course one of them now needs re-installing after heavyhanded brushpaint, but they actually take some abuse, all things considered.
Louis @lgardner. It is indeed what drives the whole hobby for me – getting better at building, better at research and all in all hanging out with friends here and discussing methods and ways of improving this and that.

and thus a very small update ended – I shall be trying to finish this build soon, stay tuned!

"All those small nice details that add up to the final result", my friend @airbum!

Thank you John (@JohnB), it will be fragile - and I seem to have stopped in time, as it is now painted and still intact!
Spiros (@fiveten) a few more of these coming right up!
George (@gblair), can't it just. Thank you.

And another update to follow here in a second or two!

Looks good, Erik (@airbum). You wouldn't think it would be hard to find a really good matt/flat clear, but sometimes it is. You have truly broken the code on finding something that is non-shiny.

Checquered flag in sight

With more details in place it is closer to the finishline than ever before

I got a few of the last items in place today, but had to strip the wing cannons, so not quite there yet..

But close enough to call this close to finished. I will have to source some chemicals to make the brass barrels black, and then get the last tidying up done, and it is off to a photoshoot in the sun soon.

I think maybe just a last post on how the guns goes before hitting the headlines with this one – come January it will be two years since the box was opened, so about time too

Nearing completion, Erik.
A build to be really proud of.