I can work on this build only several hours a day as my neck pain allows, so the build might get slow at times.
Here's a nice finished model (not mine)
So far, I've primed the base of the model. I've decided, from advice, to paint it black and then overcoat with yellow to get the weathering effect I've seen on another build. Pictures of this later.
This model is built of modules, each a small build of its own, so I'm building it that way. I'm using ModelMaster enamels because I'm a relative beginner and I'm familiar with how they spray. I'm using Insignia Red and Insignia Yellow because I like the dark colors they produce. I'm using MM Aluminum to paint the interior floors of the equipment areas; equipment will be brush painted.
This kit requires quite a bit of cleanup as the part numbers are molded into the parts; some will not be seen, so I'm cleaning up areas that might be seen. There are also some slight mold lines to smooth.
Here are pics of the module cross members as found and cleaned up and a pic of the module frame before cleaning up. Also shown are pics of the module frame, assembled first, then painted, not primed.
I experimented with priming and not priming the corrugated parts and could see not difference, probably because both yellow and red are flat colors. I've included some comparison pics to show the colors before and after painting.
In this pic, you'll see locators on the frame for the cross members. I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the instructions as to which side of that should be used. So my pattern is to place the cross member to the "outside" of each locator. That way they sit flush and don't encounter the small tab above that is used to mount each equipment level. I used the square when attaching the cross members to the frame. I glued each cross member to the frame with super glue and then set with accelerator.
I then attached the opposite frame to all four cross members at once. This approach eliminates and clamping and waiting for the glue to dry.
One side of each corrugated panel is a cutaway revealing the interior detail.
Once assembled, these can barely be seen. I considered reversing each module with the cutaway to the outside but decided against that. Maybe I'll do that on a second build of this monster.