Masking the body (red areas)

The relative ease with which I cruised past the first masking stage of this model backfired in a twisted way once I decided to prepare the parts for the red paint application. I used the same method as for the green areas: a first counter-mask identical to the decals supplied with the kit, to be used as a guide for the actual masks.
First, it took me a whole week to get things right. On the one hand I am dealing here with continuously curved surfaces, there is very little aid to place the decals or masks correctly. I have the feeling that one of my masks used on the Lotus 49 was not centered on the nose cone and I did not want to repeat history. So I tried and tried again until I found something hopefully suitable. The engine cover and the sides of the cockpit were easy to deal with and the main challenge was the nose once again. I could use the Castrol logo found at the tip of the red stripe as a gauge for the width between the masks, but it had to be placed evenly from right to left and exactly perpendicular to the axis of the body. I find it difficult to be sure and the next un-masking operation will tell...
On the other hand, it looks like the decals supplied are a bit larger than they should. I am convinced that the bottom of the green area is too low. If I want to keep a white separating stripe which will look proportionate with the model, the top of the red area will also be too low. That should translate in the Loctite logo being partly on the side pods, where it should not be. Once again, time will tell...
This time I chose to keep the whole front of the model assembled before being painted. Runs of paint will give me hell for it I am sure!