how do you make realistic looking bullet holes in afv's?

May sound like a silly question.......what kind of bullets? And, what type of AFV?

Tread.

Yes Sir Tread has that right! A .30 Cal round has much different effect than say a .50 Cal round will! It also depends on what type of armor is hit? A .50 Cal will punch through thin Armor at close range as a .30 Cal round will just scare it if anything. It is really dependant on what you want to model the hits in and what did them?
HTH
Jeff aka beachbm2

You may want to do a little ring of a silver color where the hit (hole) is, then a black or scorched area around that. But the metal would have to be very subtle.

Try to do an internet search for reference photos.

i took my saudering gun and let it get hot and then just tap quickley and then paint over it and it looks good but that only if u want it to bounce off the armor

What do you mean by "bullet?" If you are talking about non penetrating small arms hits, I think a hot pin or fine tipe soldering iron melting the plastic will be fine. However, if you are talking about a APDSFS Sabot round, that may be a different story.

Shaun

at first you have to see photos of similiar armor hit by bullet to see how much damage is done in general.Then you can use your cutters sharp edge a lil heated to do the primary hole and then cut the exxcess plastic with the cutter and also smooth aroynd the hole.use the silver and black paint method to similiarize the effect. is also nice to make right through holes to thin metal parts of vehicles , but try to make em well else is like a rat eaten ear.

Bullet holes,
Hmm would have to agree w/ Major Goose's post. I use a heated pin or soildering iron myself, but the type of round and armor have to be considered too. The effects are much different. ie M113(aluminum) M1(hamogonous armor) spelt right? oh well you get the idea.

Along this line of questioning...and quite specific; what marks would occur in the following instances?

Weapon Target
.50cal M2A2 Front, side armor & skirts
.30cal M2A2 Front, side armor & skirts
.50cal M1A1 Front, side armor & skirts
.30cal M1A1 Front, side armor & skirts

I know that penetration is nearly impossible with these criteria, so it would be surface damage. Do these rounds leave noticeable gouges? On the M1A1s is the surface below the paint a typical "metal" color?

Sorry for the rambling, open ended nature of the question. I have looked a a lot of DS and OIF pics and can't remember seeing anything that would indicate small arms fire on the vehicles. Yet I know it had to have occured, especially inOIF.

Thanks!