Color of Sherman cupola glass

[thevid]

Trying to finish a shelf of doom Sherman and I need to paint the armored glass around the commander's hatch.  Any suggestions for a paint choice?  Thanks.

[Kingsman]

This is a perennial question.

 

I presume you mean the all-round vision single-hatch cupola on a late Sherman?  These were just windows, not periscopes.  Armoured glass is naturally a pale green shade.

 

If your tank is closed up, then the visual impression will be gloss black from the darkness inside.  Coatings were not used in those days.

 

If the hatch is open then the glass would be visibly translucent: very hard to paint in solid plastic.  Best approach here would be to drill out, clean up and fill with Microscale Kristal Kleer or high-quality PVA, tinted green when dry.  You can get after-market cupolas in clear resin.  If paint is your only option, a very pale aqua green or a dull silver base with clear pale green wash.

[thevid]

28 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

This is a perennial question.

 

I presume you mean the all-round vision single-hatch cupola on a late Sherman?  These were just windows, not periscopes.  Armoured glass is naturally a pale green shade.

 

If your tank is closed up, then the visual impression will be gloss black from the darkness inside.  Coatings were not used in those days.

 

If the hatch is open then the glass would be visibly translucent: very hard to paint in solid plastic.  Best approach here would be to drill out, clean up and fill with Microscale Kristal Kleer or high-quality PVA, tinted green when dry.  You can get after-market cupolas in clear resin.  If paint is your only option, a very pale aqua green or a dull silver base with clear pale green wash.

Thank you!  I'm a 1/72 modeler and this new brave world of 1/35 has me all confused.  Thanks for the advice.  My instinct was to go for a dark glossy finish on the windows on my Italeri 1/35 Sherman M4A1 with 76mm gun.  You just confirmed my choice.  Thanks!

[Kingsman]

Ah, Braile Scale........  Forget what I said about drilling out then!  I made the mistake of assuming 1/35.  Gloss black would be best, I think.