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color of Abrams vision blocks

Biggles2

Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts

Posted: Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 08:24 PM UTC
What color are the vision blocks, etc. on Abrams (M1A2's)? Flyhawk indicates they should all be red. I Googled images and some appear red, some blue, and some even green! One tank in particular had each of the driver's blocks in different colors! Do they appear different color from different angle light reflection? Is there just one color that they all are?


bison126

Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
Armorama: 5,204 posts

Posted: Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 08:28 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Do they appear different color from different angle light reflection? Is there just one color that they all are?
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Exactly, the actual glasses are coated with a protection against laser emission which is reddish.
A good way of depicting this is to paint the plastic black and add a number of clear red layers till you're happy.
If you use clear plastic for the glasses, paint the innner face clear red first and then you can paint the black.
Olivier

jwest21

Joined: October 16, 2006
KitMaker: 3,374 posts
Armorama: 3,126 posts

Posted: Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 08:33 PM UTC

Biggles2

Joined: January 01, 2004
KitMaker: 7,600 posts
Armorama: 6,110 posts

Posted: Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 09:00 PM UTC
Thanks. I've already painted the inside surfaces of the clear parts red, so all I have to do is paint a final coat of black.


Mrclark7

Joined: June 04, 2017
KitMaker: 503 posts
Armorama: 477 posts

Posted: Monday, February 19, 2018 - 02:58 AM UTC

jzieba

Joined: October 08, 2005
KitMaker: 20 posts
Armorama: 12 posts

Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 - 10:57 PM UTC
I also use sequins, but use different colors, which I picked up on the cheap at the local crafts store, to simulate the color changes based on viewing angle.

srmalloy

Joined: April 15, 2012
KitMaker: 336 posts
Armorama: 298 posts

Posted: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 - 12:46 AM UTC
I haven't used any products from the line, so I have no idea how suitable these would be, but there is a 'Color Shift' line in the FolkArt paints, which "project a metallic luster that shifts in changing light". There is a product page on the manufacturer's website; at the bottom of the page is a link to a video showing off the product. Unfortunately, the video is excessively short, but about five seconds in you see a row of vases painted with the different colors, and can see the color shift.

chauvel

Joined: February 14, 2015
KitMaker: 155 posts
Armorama: 154 posts

Posted: Saturday, February 24, 2018 - 09:54 AM UTC
Also worth noting that when viewing directly into these vision blocks from outside the vehicles, the 'glass' doesn't show any of the anti-laser qualities as when viewed from an angle

Mrclark7

Joined: June 04, 2017
KitMaker: 503 posts
Armorama: 477 posts

Posted: Saturday, February 24, 2018 - 11:17 AM UTC
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