I like it!

 Over the weekend I got the elevators mounted, drilled and pinned the hinges with round toothpicks, and filled the toothpick holes after pinning. I planned on giving the filler spots a quick sand out tonight and then shooting all the grey on the belly. Not to be though, one of the tiny spots of filler fell out during sanding so I had to refill it and now let it dry overnight. Hopefully tomorrow night...SIGH.

 ...and O.D.!    Now if it wasn't for this dang Christmas thing...

It's green.

Hey Randy,, ITS GREEN
 

 I'm gonna go back and try to bring down the O.D./Grey break line here though, just doesn't look quite right. I'll be painting in the exhaust details yet too. All along I've had the shark mouth planned for this thing but IDK at his point. I'm kind of liking it just as it is, the "December 7th" look. Hafta see I guess.  

 Thanks Mark, I've definitely tested the limits of my abilities with this thing. Got more in store though...if I can pull it off anyway.

Best of all, the power will be NITRO!  Steve

 From the very beginning on this build I've envisioned a certain extreme paint effect I've wanted to do on this plane. Today I spent nine straight hours in the shop attempting various tricks. I had planned on having some random areas of the plane looking like the paint was "burning" away right down to the bare aluminum skin. The idea was to simulate a feeling of extreme speed, like images seen in the old 40's cartoons.
 
 I know exactly the look I'm after, and I know exactly how to do it, but my cheapo Badger 350 airbrush simply isn't up to the task. My ultra fine tip isn't nearly ultra fine enough to get the proper effect, at least to my satisfaction. I need to get a nice defined pattern down to about a 1/4" inch or even less but I can only get a muddy line down to about a 1/2". Pretty disappointing after spending all the time getting to this point. Right now I'm not ready to go out and blow a bunch of cash on a new airbrush just to get there either. Anyway, the way things panned out the next session will now be sanding out and covering up everything I did today, aborting the original mission and getting it all back to the standard O.D. and Grey like it was 24 hours ago. Bummer.

 I almost didn't even add these photos, pretty embarrassing stuff, there's a whole lotta details that I don't like here...

Man, that's cool as hell!  

 Thanks, but I guess I didn't agree. I do think the effect looks a little bit better in the photos than it does close up. Also, you're not seeing some of the random crap looking paint spatters here and there. They're small, but they're there. Either way, it just didn't come out nearly as well as what I had pictured, or as well as I think I could have done with better equipment. Because of all that it would have bothered me every time I looked at the darn thing.
 
 As it is I've just now finished sanding it all and repainting the grey on the bottom. Next step will be re-shooting the O.D. on the top. The good thing here is that the colors cover very well and it's all being done with the airbrush so I'm not packing on a bunch of extra weight throughout this whole fiasco. I have learned what doesn't work too.

 Along with the fin/rudder treatment I'm still planning some alterations to the insignias that will help give it a "speedy" look. I think I'm going to skip the shark mouth too, I've always liked the plain look of the early war P-40's. At this point I'm just through with banging my head on this one and just want to get on to the next project. It's just gonna be what it's gonna be.  

So, goop powered and with a ton of paint on it. Well, it will be fuel proof.   

Naw, I think it looks pretty good, Wayne. But if you didn't like it, then by all means fix it. I know what you mean. My plane awaiting clear suddenly has a lifted fillet. So, looks like I will be fixing that before the clear. Also because I don't want to look at it every time I go to fly it.

As Wayne said, we aren't up close to really see it.

However, from what I see in these photos, the model looks good! Really good!

Finish doing the other areas and you may not want to remove anything.

Nice job so far!

Dude, My Avenger went through a real trial in the finishing process. It came out better the second time.
the problems you are describing are patent issues with a single action gun. to do drop shadows, ddetails and special effects you really need a dual action. Envision that surge of air you get?  you depress the trigger and the excess air goes pffftt,, and its gone. THEN you start to slide the trigger back while holding it down, as you gradually ease it back ( yes it will take practice and developing a feel) you gradually begin to get fluid in a quantity you can control! seldom will you ever have full air, and full paint at the same time. The key is that you can CONTROL it, its just like flying a ringmaster versus a full blown Impact or SV-11 , You CAN make the Ringmaster fly the pattern, but the Impact will be easier to fly accuratly.
If you want my opinion, as much as you would like to implement this effect you have in mind, you may be better served to get a dual action airbrush, the VL is like 60 bucks I think if you shop around, and use it to apply some exhaust streaks ( lightly, dont get carried away) . Do some insignia, stars and bars,, maybe some shaded panel lines ( they are a blast to do, research how skins are put on airplanes for a reference) gun muzzle smudges,, and get some experience with the airbrush first before experimenting ON and airframe for the first time, just my two cents worth buddy, its a cool looking plane, sometimes letting the subtle shine through is better too,,

anyhow, do as you see fit,
Incidently, that surge of air can also be fixed with a better regulator,, but its some $$ to get a good one

Wayne sounds like your getting dry tip and or spitting . Thinning might help . One thing you don't want to do is have the airbrush pointing at the plane when yoU hit the trigger !! Point the brush away from the plane hit the trigger it will blow the paint of the tip leave the air going then go to the plane and feed the paint in !
 

A airbrush can be a wonderful thing or a complete paint in the patoot . I been airbrushing for over 10 years custom cars and motorcycles . But to be honest I wouldn't attempt paint a complete plane with one not because it can't be done just takes to long ! But for detail like the stripes it's perfect

This is more or less what I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Paasche-VL-SET-Double-Action-Airbrush/dp/B00397TTTY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451495632&sr=8-2&keywords=paasche+airbrush

The plastic model guys get a feathered edge where they want it by using a mask that's lifted off the surface.  They spray from the masked side toward the unmasked so the paint does not go under the mask.  The mask can be lifted off the surface by using blue tack, masking tape rolled inside out, or that window putty from the hardware store that comes in rolls - anything that holds the mask far enough away.  The closer the mask to the surface, the sharper the line.  The ability of the airbrush to make a fine line isn't a factor.

The idea is here:

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEViX.54NWeWkAKeUnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHZyb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1451513983/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.freeflight.org%2fDigestOnline%2fTechLibrary%2fCamouflage%2520Painting.pdf/RK=0/RS=2yB.t..oNbaYvMakSfBeMSImEQ8-

 Yep, I've considered that too. I played that game on occasion back in my plastic modeling days so I'm familiar with it. Won't really work on this project though. Thanks anyway for the suggestion.

,, and it even works with colors other than green,, just sayin

 I see, that must be why Randy got one. 

Yes,, it is, though I gave that one to my brother, I now have an Iwata, and a THayer Chandler but they are both rather,, uh,, spendy for a hobbiest,, the Iwata is around $400

Randy di you get the Eclipse ?

 Well tonight I got around to painting in the canopy and exhaust details. First were the exhaust stacks. I started the process by hand cutting some "stencils" to define the rounded ends of the "cowl" opening. Once applied those ends were then connected with tape, finishing the outline of the area to be painted. I gave the entire area a coat of black first and then immediately came back over it with a dark grey. I fogged the dark grey on at an angle from the front so I wouldn't get any of it in the exhaust openings. This way the "openings" were left black to help represent an actual opening. Then I repeated the same routine over the dark grey, but this time with a light grey to mimic the lighter color residue often seen on the full scale aircraft.

 Here's the masking routine...

 Next was the canopy, taking THREE HOURS worth of masking time. Drawing out some patterns and hand cutting some stencils took a good chunk of that time. On somewhat complicated canopy frame work such as this I've found it really pays off to take your time and think about the sequence of your masking lines. One thing really does lead to another, try to "build in" reference points as you go. Working slowly, checking, looking, and double checking, and thinking ahead as you go can all make a big difference in the end result.

 I used pretty much the same process as the exhaust detail work here. On my models I've always just sprayed a solid color of some sort for my canopy "glass" but this time I went for the fancy "fogged" treatment. It went pretty well but I think the overall result came out a bit dark, not contrasting as much as I would have liked with the Olive Drab.

 Here we go masking...

 Here's an easy trick for making parallel lines...

 Lay your first desired line, in this case it's the left hand black tape. Then "space" for your next with another tape in your width of choice(s). After that add your next desired line, here it's the right hand black tape. Then, remove your "spacing" tape(s) and you automatically have parallel lines...

OK, that's awesome.

Is that Wild Bill Kelso behind the contols?

 Ha! I'd forgotten all about Kelso!  

 At this point I'm now committed to not messing with the airbrush "metal" treatment idea, at least for this model. Now that I've got the canopy and some of the other details done I don't want to risk having to go back and repaint any of it.

 Kind of stuck at a standstill for now, waiting on some vinyl...

Very stylish.