I would like to contribute one tip on painting or un-painting (removing paint from a model).
I have been using various brands of oven cleaner with success. The overnight version that is generally un-scented and consists of a foam spray seems to work the best. Due to the caustic nature of the medium, precautions such as using a sealed area ( I use a plastic clear bag for freexing vegetables), wearing rubber gloves and the use of hot water as a rinse will help. The method is to spray all the surfaces with the oven cleaner. Enamel or acrylic paints will begin to dissolve almost immediately. After about 30 seconds, the initial layers can be rinsed off with a hot wash of water. Stubborn older remnants of paint can be scrubbed with a toothbrush (an old toothbrush that is). The method is nearly foolproof and can be used to salvage an otherwise ruined model. The oven cleaner will affect the standard putty used for seams and joints but usually leabves Milliput or Crazy glues alone. Decals will also peel off nicely and an added bonus is that clear parts looked polished after this treatment.