Fluorescent Orange

Use the Tamiya color line of sprays.
I have good luck with them, but you must, MUST shake the daylights out of the flourescent paints

Don

Testors does make a line of fluorescent paint for styrene both in bottle or spray can. Can be a pain to find, not many hobby shop's carry them.
John

QUOTE: Got a question. What is the best method for painting the upper surfaces of Vietnam-era helo stabilators? I've tried both airbrush and spray can, white undercoats, etc, and nothing really seems to get the coverage I want. The fluorescent orange always comes out transparent.

I guess I got lost ... this isn't the airplane forum, is it? Actually I just saw the title of the post and thought I'd throw this in.

I used to do a lot of R/C car bodies, and used Pactra rattle-cans for them. They have a line of fluorescents that are very good, however they are laquer and may be too hot for styrene. I've got some Fluorescent Orange at home and if I can remember it I'll spray some on styrene tonight and see what happens.

On Lexan body shells I always sprayed about 3 coats and finished up with a coat of white (the bodies are clear and painted on the inside so everything is painted backwards; base coat first, undercoat last) and it turned out perfectly opaque.

I have found that a flat / semi gloss white is the best base (spray can).
The problem with Fluorescent Orange is that you have to build up about 6 or 7 layers of paint to get a decent colour depth.

Humbrol paints do a range of flourescent paints - oranges and yellows - but they must be thinned with cellulose thinners. Take care when spraying!!! You would have to make sure that there was a sufficient barrier by way of undercoats before putting this onto a plastic model. Get the magnifying glass out and have a look on the paint container you have - it may say cellulose thinners must be used and that could account for the lack of coverage.
Hope this helps.