Finally just about done with this one, I think. I hope to have it uploaded tomorrow along with the factory-delivery version.
Around the cowling I got rid of the inaccurate access panels and added in all of the actual ones, as well as adding a couple panel lines. On the rear fuselage I added the battery access panel on the starboard-side and the two circular inspection panels on both side. On the left wing/fuselage fillets I added the electrical/radio socket access panel.
The imperfect demarcation between the top and bottom colors of the camouflage is done to match the restoration, and this was the way that Castle Bromwich Spitfire Mk.IX's, such as PT879, came from the Castle Bromwich factory. They didn't have the paint masked with a sharp edge to the demarcation between the topside and bottom-side colors like Supermarine did at their factory. All of the stencils are done to match the restoration, which in-turn are also specifically accurate to Castle Bromwich production. For instance, the wing walkway and wing trestle stencils are unique to Castle Bromwich production - I reproduced each letter of these stencils in high resolution to match. You will find both DTD 517 S and DTD 314 S stencils, and which are correct to their placements on the real aircraft. Other items, like the W/T stencils, were also recreated first in high resolution and matching the exact design as they are on the restoration. You can also spot the little Lock/Unlock stencils on the spinner. The red-doped fabric patches on the starboard rear fuselage and under the ailerons have a pinked-edge to the fabric, which has also been added to the normal maps. Prop stencils have also been added, front and back, just as they are on the real PT879.
The wing walkway lines are also thicker - on Castle Bromwich Spitfires, they were 1" thick, as depicted on the restoration, vs. 3/4" thick on Supermarine-produced Spitfires. One of the few departures from the real aircraft - since the panel lines of the product paint schemes aren't positioned quite accurately, in order to have the wing walkway lines in the correct locations on the wings, they are inboard of the panel lines, while on the real aircraft they are outboard of the panel lines - however, the wing walkway lines themselves are in the right locations in relation to the wing as a whole, matching the same locations as on the restored aircraft. This way too the non-slip tape on the inboard port-wing is sized accurately as well.
I've paid close attention to the various paint finishes (smooth vs. rough) on the real aircraft to try and as closely match them in the sim as possible, using the PBR complete map textures. Where the Russian light green and AMT-11 blue grey is applied, you can still see hints of the roundels below, due to the smoother/compacted paint finish of the roundels. The Russian stars on the bottom of the wing are also glossy, compared to the matte stars on the fuselage and tail. The textures for the tires, landing gear, landing gear doors and wells, tail gear, pitot tube and cockpit side door lever have all been modified, and the normal maps for the wheel wells and landing gear doors have also been modified to get rid of the grainy-textured appearance. Looking at one of these shots below, however, I noticed an old problem with part of the gear well textures, that found its way in again, that will need to be addressed before I upload the repaints.
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