If it works for Jack, it will work for Betty....
Meanwhile, I ordered a set of Eduard masks for the ME-410. What I don't know / can't tell is, does it mask the canopy interior as well? Like a number of German designs, the framing is primarily inside the canopy, so it needs to be painted there too. Will have to wait and see. I may be in for a bit of very steady- handed hand painting....
Here goes
Ok. AAR on the underside painting. Despite giving the plastic a thorough detergent cleaning, the Tamiya acrylic still scratches off far too easily. I will not use it again unless shot over a primer coat. I used laboratory Parafilm to mask the underside and shot the upper surfaces with Modelmaster IJN Green:
It covers well, and goes on gloss. I should have thinned it even more, has some "orange peel". Even though I dialed the psi down and thinned extensively. Lessons learned before I shoot "Betty".
Next, decals and details.
The kit decals lived up to their reputation, as thick and difficult to get to conform to surface details. A liberal application of Solvaset was needed, and lots of gentle persuasion with large flat brushes and q-tips.
You can also begin to see why I should have primed white and sprayed the leading edge bands before the IJN Green.
Getting a color to match the flashes on the fuselage by mixing some of my stash of paints was easier than I thought it would be; masking and hand painting over the dark green, not so much. I'll try to deemphasize the imperfections with weathering ;-)
One coat of Vallejo matt varnish. Very humid tonight, and some beading, so going light and second application tomorrow.