hi guy's,
After painting my M-113 Acav for the nam campaign, I wanted to make the decal's less apparent.
So I got my self a rattle can Tamiya clear varnish and after reading the instructions I started to spray the model ( I know I should have tested it on something ells first, not going to make that mistake again ).
After drying it still has a glossy appetence, not shiny but glossy.
Can I leave it like it is (I heard that armour usually has a bit of a glossy finish, is that true ) or should I try and gif it a matt coat.

TIA Jan-Willem

any one??

Tamiya's clear in the spray can is Glossy. Tamiya doesn't make a flat clear coat. If you want to make the decal film disappear, you spray the model with the gloss, apply the decals (they sit better on a smooth glossy finish) and then spray it with a flat clear coat (Testors makes one as does Krylon, Gunze Sangyo and a few others).


:-)

Thank's for the tip,
next time I'll do that.
but what about keeping the M-113 a bit glossy, can it be done or is it a no no?

I suppose you could have it glossy, if you were to say it was in a scene during rain...

Most of the companies that make the clear coats, make one called semi-gloss (a middle step between Gloss and flat). You could go with that. I have read somewhere (can't remember where) that a semi-gloss finish on armor kits looks more realistic. Havn't tried this yet though.

:-)

I usually apply another coat of gloss after applying decals. This prevent the decals from falling off after a few years plus it does help to prevent silvering of decals.

Once the final coat of gloss is done, a flat coat is applied. If you like to keep the gloss coat for rainy scene, you might want to add some vertical streaks of tinted brown and black to simulate water flowing on the armour body.

maybe its going to look less glossy after weathering?

Frank