I build mostly ww2 aircraft and sometimes other types of armor such as cars and armored cars, but this is my first tank. The kit i bought is the tamiya 1/48 russian kv-1. Generally is it best to paint tracks and the inside of the tracks before putting them on or not. And do you apply gloss coat for only in decal areas or the whole thing because weathering will be applied. I could really just use the basics about tank modelling would be helpful.

There are several methods... I'm unfamiliar with this kit but if these are link and length tracks you can glue them together carefully around the wheels starting and ending at the drive sprocket, and after they're set pull them off carefully and paint them. Or you could glue them to the wheels if you haven't glued the wheels to the hull, then pull the entire subassembly off and paint it separately. Or, if the tracks are strips you should paint them off the vehicle, but weather while on. Remember to paint Tamiya strip tracks with acrylic as enamel paints will destroy them.