Is it the Tamiya 1/48 kit you are building? I have this kit and the instructions appear to show a hard edge. However I've a feeling that it might have been soft. I've seen a colour picture somewhere of Don by the nose of Shangril-La which, if I can find it again should give the answer. I do a search
Mal
EDIT: Well I didn't get much and didn't find the pic I wanted

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Hi Fred:

I agree with Mal, it looks like a soft edge.
Looking at the picture published in "Mustang Aces of the Eight Airforce" (Osprey) page 39, it seems to me that it´s a neat soft edge.

Hi Mal & Carlos,

Thank you for the effort you put forth on my behalf!

When I got home I snared my 8th A.F. In Color, Roger Freeman's P-51 Mustang, and a couple other WWII color books. I have no doubt it is soft edged, a neat, tight soft edge.

I also noted that sloppy paint work on his spinner and checkerboard! There's hope for me!

Mal, it is Tamiya's. It is about to get an OD top coat tonight. I broke from my MO and didn't prime it with silver as my photos don't show much chipped paint (at least not until the photos where Gentile pranged his ship on his final buzz job!!!).

Thanks again!

The trouble with sloppy paintwork on the real aircraft is if you reproduce it in model form that's exactly what it looks like, sloppy paint work. Trouble is it becomes your sloppy paintwork unless you are prepared to explain to anyone who goes near your model, which becomes a pain. Same argument for hurriedly painted D-Day stripes on real aircraft, in model for you probably need to put the model in a diorama showing the it being painted with a sweeping brush :-)
When I saw the sloppy paintwork I thought off painting it like that, but I won't for the reason staated above.
Looking forward to seeing it finished and entered in the MOM
Mal