Excuse me if this is a re-hash, but I've searched our forums for threads pertaining to this, and came up empty. I seem to remember reading about a method of "tinting" aircraft canopies so they were dark or smokey. Does anyone know how this is done? I'd like to tint the canopy of an F-16, but can't find the article anymore. Any help or direction would be most appreciated. TIA

Mike

I've seen several methods. They are:

1. Dipping in Tamiya Smoke or Tamiya clear colors.

2. Dipping in Future tinted with food coloring.

3. Dipping in Tamiya clear tinted with food coloring.

I have good luck airbrushing the Tamiya clear colors, expecially the green for Huey upper glass. I thin them with the same rubbing alcohoI use for the regular Tamiya paints.

Lately I've been playing with the Vis-a-Vis overhead projector markers and Future for things like optical sight lenses and the disco lights on modern US helos..
but they don't make a grey marker.. maybe the black? Then you could dip into future and not have to airbrush.

I've not tried to thin and spray tinted future before.

Mike

I have, and it works well. Not as good as Tamiya clear, but still OK.

Here's a link for ye, Mike :-
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/tnt1/001-100/TNT063_Tinting%20Canopies_Gok/tnt063.htm
Good Luck!!!!!!

Much obliged for the help, guys. I knew I could count on the Armorama community for an answer. Thanks again.

Mike

I've used Testor's Smoke from the spray can with okay results, you have to do extremely light coats, otherwise it runs and dries unevenly.

Tinted Future works pretty well. I've done an old Monogram Skyraider and a couple of Hueys without any problems.