advice about assembly order

I have never painted anything on the tree. There is usually mold lines, flash, pinholes and many other thing to be filled or filed off that most of the paint would be gone.

Some parts can be painted with primer and the top coat while still on the tree. After removing, just touch up the area that needs it. Large parts should be attatched to the aircraft, seams filled and sanded prior to painting.

Install the canopy, putty where needed, sand, polish, mask and then paint.

Wheel wells, speed brake wells and any area you don't want to paint should be covered. One way is to use low tack tape and apply over the area. Using a new sharp # 11 blade, carefully cut around the contour of the wheel well, leaving the tape over the wheel well. This will cut down on most of the paint entering the wheel well. You might have to do a little touch up with a brush.

Another way is to tack glue the wheel well covers in place and remove them after painting. l

there're numbers of ways to do that....mostly what berny and umax said are correct...however i would like to add something
for the underside thing...i used 2 method..
1. paint the underside first with whatever color to the final coat...then let the paint dry. carefully mask along the wheel well . then paint the well and together with the wheel door (underside)...afterthat glue the door in place with superglue
2. paint the wheel well and then paint the undeside...
this is more like what berny had been telling in his post...
well glad i can help...

RE: Painting wheel wells.

I've always had better luck painting wheel wells and speed brake wells after painting the rest of the model. Just mask off the area around the well and shoot. At the same time, shoot the inside portion of the gear doors and speed brakes. Be sure to make the outside portion of the doors/brakes if you've already painted them.

Rich