More progress: I closed the fuselage halves and began painting. I started with the underside of the fuselage, which has a speculative finish, according to the WNW instructions. Their interpretation is a series of transverse bands of the alternating five colors of the painted lozenge that is on the non-linen surfaces. Since this was not carved in stone, and without evidence to the contrary, I replicated the lozenge pattern for the underside painted surfaces. My first attempt was painting and masking with irregular lozenge shapes each of the five colors, which was suboptimal since I underestimated the size of each lozenge shape, and because it created a noticeable layering effect, resulting in the first colors appearing sunken. My second attempt used a lozenge pattern that I cut onto Tamiya masking tape, with each color labeled:
I used Tamiya colors matched to the kit decals, and here the first color is ready to be applied. Eventually, and with significant touching up (meanwhile I was getting used to a new airbrush), I achieved this result:
Photographs indicate that the fuselage sides and top were also painted with a lozenge pattern, then overcoated forward of the tailplane/rudder with Prussian blue. Because of this, I won't be replicating the entire pattern, but instead I plan to add the lozenge colors that are lighter and darker than the overcoat. To be continued!
Cheers, Tom
