many thanks!

Almost ready for final clear coat:

Nice save!  I always dread having issues arise near the end of a build, when so much time and effort have been put into it.

I can almost guarantee that I have some 1/72 RAAF roundels laying around someplace that I'll never use. Next time (and hopefully there is no next time under the same circumstances), just ask!

Thanks!  I did a couple things wrong.  I was using a craft acrylic paint for the blue.  Craft store acrylic can be airbrushed but this particular brand is a little "rubbery" for several hours after laying it down.  Also, my airbrush was out of alignment and I was having issues just getting paint down...so it ended up too heavy.  When I removed the masks, it was still in a rubber like state.  Oh, the masking tape I used was meant for sensitive surfaces, which is good...except that it was like 15 years old and was extra sticky.  Thus, some of the olive drab got lifted...
Lots of lessons learned and time lost.  This project should have been done months ago.

So bought a decal sheet for the RAAF roundels off of eBay.  I think I paid too much but that was all I could find.  They went down okay but some of the white flaked off...so I had to touch them up. 
The microscale decals I  used for this plane are 40 years old...but they went down perfectly!  Go MicroScale!!!

I have done a light clear coat over the decals followed by dark grey Tamiya panel line accent product.  You have to acrylic clear because removing the excess Tamiya requires an enamel thinner.

Here are some pics of the landing gear alignment.  This is the second attempt.  The first attempt they were raked too far forward...so I ripped them out last night.  Little bad luck but not too bad.

That was some bad luck with the masks and also lifting up of the paint, good job on fixing it. I've had problems with paint, even primer lifting up before, I pretty much only use acrylics. I now scuff up the plastic slightly and sometimes I will use an adhesion promoter spray that I get at automotive supply stores, sprayed on plastic car parts before they get painted. Seams to help some.

Work has been progressing.  I'm having some issue with my Iwata Neo airbrush.  Getting a smooth paint job has been difficult.
I was a bit too much in a rush when I tried to paint my own RAAF roundels.  I used a circle cutter to make precise masks.
However, the paint I used was not good and I had some disasters with tape pulling up olive drab.
Since these were taken, I have been able to:
1. repaint the affected areas
2. obtain a decal sheet with RAAF roundels
3. finish decal application

I'm back to work on it...life got in the way for a while.

Masking the forward canopy.  This job is for the birds... especially in 1/72 scale.
I'm using a combination of Tamiya tape, painter's tape, bare metal foil, and MicroMask to fill in gaps.

Well... The model show is a few days away.  Looks like it won't be finished.  I'm just too much of a perfectionist.
No problem.  I won't compromise doing it right.

I did a crash molded fabrication for the sliding canopy.

Here is the kit canopy used as a mold:



And the resulting canopy...



I do love this kit.  It is really well made and accurate to the P-40.  It's just too small for my old eyes.  Really wish I had this kit decades ago.
I'll get through it but it will make 1/48 and 1/32 seem like a cinch!

This is the Eduard wheel, now painted.
Eduard has impressed me with the amount of detail on such a small scale.
I've used Testors metalizer on the hub and an old bottle of Polly Scale "scale black" for the tire.
Finally dry brushed with Model Master Light Ghost Gray on the treads.

Looking good!