Navigation Lights?

[Bucksnort101]

Wondering how you make wing navigation lights on you models. Building the Tamiya 1/48 P-47 D in the group build and plans call for painting the plastic Nav lights on the wing with clear Green, Red, and Yellow. Wondering how others get a more scale look?
I've read of others using railroad MV Lenses, but this just does not look right to me.

 

[B-17engineer]

Diped the part in future dyed, one of those colors?

 

[Bucksnort101]

I'm talking about the 3 navigation lights that are one the bottom side of the wing. Usually in a staight line on the underside of the wing. On this model they are just molded right into the lower wing plastic. Painting them just will not look right IMO so am looking for a better way, probably just drill them out and use the colored MV lenses.

 

[B-17engineer]

Oh....with landing lights on my Ju-87, I melted clear sprue into the shape. But. others will be more helpful

 

[Bucksnort101]

Oh....with landing lights on my Ju-87, I melted clear sprue into the shape. But. others will be more helpful

I saw that on your build, very creative, probably do that on the next build.

 

[kgambit]

You can always try these out Sprue Brothers Models Home Page

 

[Bucksnort101]

Thanks, they look a bit better than the MV Lenses that I've seen. Wish I had asked this question last week so I could have ordered these with my last order from Sprue Brothers.
Those buggers are pretty expensive though!!!

 

[Wurger]

Also you can drill a little these places where the lights have to be.Then paint with correct colours inside. As the "glass" you can use Clearfix or transparent epoxy glue, POXIPOL for instance.

 

[Airframes]

Wojtek beat me to it! I normally either counter-sink a hole, or completely drill a hole, or holes, before assembling the wing or fuselage, and then back it with a scrap of plastic card. This is then left until the model is virtually finished, and all the paitning has been done.
Then, the required colours are painted in the pre-drilled holes, and allowed to fully set. The holes are then glazed with either Micro Kristal Kleer, or PVA, which is more or less the same thing. When this dries, it is clear, and is then given a coat of gloss varnish or Johnson's Klear (Future) toi give it more depth and 'shine'. Simple, painless, and costs a lot less than having to buy lenses etc!!