Aircraft canopy tinting

[Wafu]

Hi all,

 

I've been doing some research into tinting canopies, I have a Kinetic EA-6 Prowler and want to model it with a tinted effect of yellow/gold. Looking on the tinterweb it would seem in the good old days, you could add Tamiya clear colour to Kleer. Seeing as Kleer has hit the rails these days, does anyone have an alternative?

 

Ive done a few test bits with neat clear yellow brush painted to an old canopy, not that good, a little intense. I then tried thinned, with Tamiya thinner, Tamiya clear yellow spayed on, it went obaque.

 

Ideas welcome, may be another brand of clear yellow?

 

Cheers the Woo.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Dont give up on the thinning ? Try water, Isopropyl alcohol ( i use that for tamiya brush painting), & maybe window cleaning solution ? Also try modulating the paint to thinning medium ? You could use the clear tree sprue cut into several pieces of the same length as a test instead of the canopy itself ? If nothing else you could post the results to show if anything works/fails. I would also add a little Tamiya smoke to the clear yellow ? It always seemed a bit darker than straight yellow to my eyes. Id do it myself but have neither clear yellow or smoke.

 

Dennis

Edited March 18, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Black Knight]

I have Klear, but I also use 'Astonish' floor polish - its the same stuff, only cheaper. To that I added Tamiya 'Smoke'. Multiple dippings of a canopy are needed to get the canopy tinted

[Matt_]

You can get 'Klear', it's called 'Pledge With Future Shine Floor Care'

 

To tint a canopy (or car windows) it can be a good idea to tint the inside by liberally applying with a brush, or flowing on with a dropper, and letting it self-level and drip off. Then, when the inside is tinted, dip the whole lot to shine the outside. That way, a minor scratch on the exposed side won't obviously remove the tint.