The painting looks good. Once you get the hang of it you will not want a brush near your model.

By the way what are the ridges on the boiler and splashers, or is it just the photo?

Welcome to spraying ! My own outfit is also a cheapo, compressor and two brushes from RDG Tools for about

Cheers for the heads-up on the book; one I'll have to track down I think (still lots to find out naturally).  The ridges on the boiler are a result of the body having been 3D printed.  I have, several times, gone over and around it with filler, files and sand paper but to no avail it seems.  Ordinarily the ridges aren't all that noticeable and will eventually disappear under a nice layer of varnish and weathering.

A good start Sir.The more you paint the more you will want to paint. An airbrush won't do everything you need but once you've mastered it,it will speed everything up for you. A good friend of mine has been using Aerosols for the past 25 years and swears by them.I haven't yet managed to get him Airbrushing but when i do he'll be a happier man.

Your early results speak for themselves you should be very pleased.If i can offer any advice( this is not in anyway a criticism).when you paint with a brush you tend to go for coverage in maybe two coats.An airbush is far finer to work your first coat should be barely visible and this the key to your second coat. By the third and fourth you should be seeing some good coverage.the fifth coat should just about do it.This method should of course take a good few hours between coats to allow for proper drying.Airbrushing will dry the paint much faster since the thinner atomizes instantly on the surface being painted. Some colours will always be tricky reds and yellows especially. Practice your thinning,see how thin you can go before the paint is too runny to work.You will find the limits at the top and bottom of thinning pretty quickly. The main to remember is always clean the airbrush thoroughly at the end of the spraying session.

Best wishes

Eric & Gripper.

Thanks!  I'm giving it another coat tonight, making for a total of about 5 brush coats and 2 airbrushed. 

I guess I'll really get to grips with the airbrush when I start airbrushing a finish up from the bare material rather than on top of a couple of brush coats.  Another reason to get on with my Met bo-bo there....