Beacon have an 'expert painting tips' guide; I am not at all an expert but it was fun to follow and gave me some good ideas that I think helped raise the end result for me...
I wanted to do the planes in flight, so I bought the pilot 3d files and a friend printed them for me. They are so tiny I painted them in bright colours for more visibility (and fun)
I'm pleased with these, they were fun to do, they look good and they don't take up much space. I am going to add them to a pair of Airfix 1:72 equivalents, will add a photo once I've done that...
I tried hard to make these look scuzzy and dirty without going over the top. I am only learning, so I am keen to strike a decent balance. The bigger Spitfire and Bf109 are amongst the first kits I ever made, so the difference is also fun to notice...