{1} The resin parts that form the Kora Models [DEC 72.128] after market.

{2} The resin seats replaced with the supplied ones.

{3} The bulkheads of the aircraft were primed with Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 [SF-290].

{4} The aircraft sides were removed from their sprues, sanded and painted RLM02 (C60).

{5} The mid-section, including controls and seats was primed with Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 [SF-290]. The mid-section and controls were over sprayed with RLM02 (C60). The seats were painted Red Brown [C41].  Next, the top of the control stick was painted Flat Black [C33]. Lastly, the seats were then washed in Ochre for Sand Camo [MiG-AMMO, A.MIG-1622] and were affixed using MIG AMMO Utra Glue [A.MIG-1618]. 

{6} On the left side of the image, the ejection pin (at the front of the wing) could be seen from within the wheel well.  This needed to be sanded away as per the right-hand side of the image. They were then primed with Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 [SF-290]. 

{7} As part of the mid-section would also be visible from the wheel well, this was primed with Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 [SF-290] ready for the final coat of RLM02 (C60).

{8} Next, the inside windows were added, fixed in place with MIG AMMO Utra Glue [A.MIG-1618]. The windows were then masked from the outside. Lastly the two sides of the aircraft were glued together using Mr Cement SP [MC131].

{9} At this stage, it was time to add the control panel. This was painted Flat Black [C33] and dry brushed with RLM02 (C60). As can be seen, there was a bigger gap on the right side. I decided to fill this gap with my trusty 'melted sprue' in Polystyrene Cerement. Once dry, this was carefully painted RLM02 (C60) - Cockpit Colour.

{10} Next was to attach both halves of each wing to the mid-section using Mr Cement SP [MC131].

{11} Before assembling the wings to the body, I drilled two holes (1.9mm) inline, in the middle section of the wings. This is for what has become a standard 3D printed stand (details in the Web Links section below). Unfortunately, my holes were not 100% aligned!  

The whole wing assembly was then fitted to the main body of the aircraft. 

{12} The fit left gaps that needed to be filled and sanded. In this instance, I used 'melted sprue' in Polystyrene Cerement. Before sanding, I sprayed the area with Mr Mahogany Surfacer 1000 (SF-290).  This allows for easier identification on how well the area has been flattened. For this technique to work, I repeated this process three or four times until the parts were flush. The panel lines were then re-scribed. 

{13} Again, the gaps between the wings and the side of the aircraft needed to be filled and sanded. For this I used Mr Dissolved Putty [P-119].

{14} The front part of the cockpit was masked, then painted flat black (C33) prior to affixing the canopy. 

{15} The rear (resin) wings were fitted using MIG AMMO Utra Glue [A.MIG-1618].  Unfortunately, it was really hard to get these wings to be flush and 90° to the tail.

{16} I think I say in every one of these "build commentaries" that the canopy is arguably the worst part of any of my builds. This proved no different :(

However, I did try and carefully mask the window panels with Mr Masking Sol R (M-133).

{17} More sanding and filling was required; this time, on the top of the aircraft where the two halves were affixed. 

{19} I think this is my favourite part of the whole build stage. At this point, the vast majority of the gluing and sanding has been completed and the model is starting to take shape... 

All the aeras that will be sprayed red are first sprayed white to ensure that the final red colour is not too dark. 

{20} This also includes the tail section.

Snap!

{21} Bugger... I managed to snap the resin propellor blade when trying to remove it from this mould "gate?".  This was reattached using epoxy resin glue [Araldite Rapid].

{22} After removing the wheels from their moulding gate. I then proceeded to shape them up with a bit of sanding. I have to say that these resin parts have a lot of flashing. The seats were just as bad... 

{23} Not seen here was the spraying of the wing "strips" and tail fin in RLM23 Rot (or Red) [C114] for the Swiss National Cross. The red was then masked off whilst flat White [C62] was sprayed randomly over the panels, trying not to go over the panel lines.  The hope is that the effect will be that the panel lines will look a bit darker, and the random density of White will break up the overall colour on panels themselves.

At the same time, I sprayed the engine/nose light grey in the hope that it will be a neutral colour for the blue.

The reason for using RLM23 was that the Swiss military used a shade of red known as "Swiss Red" for their national markings on aircraft. Swiss Red is a distinctive shade of red, often described as a slightly darker hue compared to the typical bright or fire-engine red.  I could not find a colour match to "Swiss Red" in the Gunze Sangyo Mr Color or AK-Interactive "Real Colors" libraries.  RLM 23, is a dark red shade that could be considered a "rough" approximation of "Swiss Red" used by the Swiss military during World War II. The darker red hue is reminiscent of the colour used in that period. 

This is why this sight is called "The Colour-Blind Painter"...

{24} As with the "Swiss Red", my "go-to" lacquer paints (either Mr Color or Real Color) do not stock RLM 24 (Dunkelblau/Dark Blue). However, I did have a 20+ year old bottle of Testors Model Master II - RLM 24 [2074]. The results were not as I would have liked. Compared to the decal colour, the Testors colour (over light grey) were nothing like each other.

{25} I tried darkling the original attempt with increasing amounts of Insignia Blue / FS35044 [1719]. However, this was to no great avail. 

{26} In the end, I ended up spraying light coats of Blue / FS#5050 [C328] until the colours matched as best I could. Next was to mask up, ready for the main body colour.

{27} The limited information given on the decals suggested that the main body colour was RLM 63 - Hellgrau or Light Grey [RC270]. Again, being colour-blind does not help, but this looks on the 'Yellowish' side of light grey and nothing like the reference 'A-201' as depicted in the 'Walk Around' section.  At this point, I was just ready to 'go-with-the-flow' and finish the model.  

{28} I used the same under shading technique that was used on the bottom side of the model.

{29} After spraying the walkway areas Black, I masked them and continued to spay RLM 63 - Hellgrau or Light Grey (RC270) as the main aircraft body colour. 

After I finished this process, I realised that the walkway areas should have been Grey and not Black... D'oh!

{30} After removing the masking, I noticed that I have not completely covered the nose.  At this point I thought I would wait until I had affixed the side decals and 'attempt' to blend the colours back to the RLM24 (or whatever colour it is now!).  

{31} The side decals would not align correctly. If I get them to meet in the middle, the bottom of the decal chafes against the top of the wing. All the time I am moving the decal around, the more likely I am to damage it. In the end I thought that I will probably need to blend the nose colour and the decal colour anyway, so I left the gap in the middle. In hindsight, I think part of this was my fault and partly the decals...