Tinted Overheads: HELP!!!

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

I’m working on Revell-Germany’s 1/48 SH-3H Sea King and need some help with the tinted overheads for the cockpit.
I tried using Future and tinting it with food coloring, but when I brushed it on, it didn’t want to keep an even coat (it kept puddling up into little spots at random around the panel), so I brushed on more. Finally, after a few generous applications, I got the color saturation that I wanted, and it covered the whole overhead panel. BUT…now the Future coat was too thick and it began to
pool along the forward edge of the canopy (where it sloped down to the windscreen). I fought with gravity for a while by holding it in at different angles to keep the pooling at a minimum. By midnight I thought I was in the clear (no pun intended) since the Future had almost dried,so I placed the canopy on the helo for the night and went to bed. When I awoke the next morning, it had pooled again along the forward edge!!! AAARRRGGHHH!!! It’s been on the shelf for a while (my cool off time) and now I want to finish it.
Where did I go wrong? Was it that I hand-brushed the Future on instead of airbrushing?? Or was the Future coat too thick?? I washed the part with water and dish soap, then rinsed and dried thoroughly, but should I have prepped the clear plastic with something else???

Any suggestions or techniques WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! Thanks!

2

I’ve had good luck airbrushing Tamiya clear acrylic colours for canopies a nd helicopter cabin roofs.

3

Tamiya clear colors works best. Smoke and green colors work best for canopies. I have used them with an airbrush or brushed them on by hand without any problems. It may be the Future, I have never used it that way before.

4

I once used Testors green acrylic paint for this. I didn’t stir it; just used the very thin stuff at the top of the jar so that it came out translucent.

5

I used Testors MM Acryl Clear Green on my HH-65A Dolphin, and it turned out really well…coat was even and very smooth. Might give those a shot, too.

6

Did you dip the whole canopy in untinted Future before you tried to paint it? That would usually help to smooth things over so the color wouldn’t be splotchy when you applied it. Then brush on a thin coat of the tinted Future and let dry. Then if needed, apply a second thin coat. That way, you shouldn’t have to worry about it pooling at the front.

Or you can go with the other ideas that are here too. These guys are great at what they do and very experienced.

7

I have had better luck polishing the canopy then washing in soapy water. Then dipping in Future with food coloring tint.

Don