Portholes

Concur on only drilling if illuminating.

Mind, naval vessels usualy practice pretty strict light disipline, unless in full peacetime at anchor in a warm anchorage.

Of course, it's your model, to depict to your preference.  If drilling them out suits you, do so.  A neat way to finish that work, after painting is to back the drilled holes with thin (like 0.005) white styrne sheet.  This gives an excellent level of contrast (if one squints enough to notice).  Not bad is illuminated behind, either.

At 1/350 this is a 0.03 inch hole.

I would only drill it out if lighting is installed.

Clear Gorilla Glue. 

Stick your portholes on a piece of flat masking tape sticky side up.  I staple it to a board so it is perfectly flat.  Add a drop of the clear glue in there.  If the holes are small, use a toothpick or pin to drip in there.  WAIT 24 hours - Cures to touch in 2, but takes a full 24 to get rock solid.  Clear enough to see through if you have a nice, thin layer.

Bob

If the holes are pretty small, which most portholes in popular scales are, you might try clear lacquer.  It is a bit more shiney than those PVA glues.

Trying to replicate ship windows/porthole looks is very difficult. If it is supposed to be a specular reflection, then it will look gloss black except where you get a reflection of a bright light or object.  This is very difficult to do with paint.  We unconsiously are quite aware of our surroundings, and expect any reflecting surfaces to change what we see even if we move slightly.  Hard to do with paint.  Now, most of the time we display our ships indoors, where the brightness and contrast of our surrounding are much, much less than outdoors.

I usually finish open portholes and windows with those window materials like Micro Glaze.  They will show some reflections of bright lights and such, but the problem is that there are few lights down at levels where you would see a specular reflection. If you want to really show the fact that there are windows or open portholes, I suspect putting lighting inside and a glazing material over the holes and windows.  I have seen some beauties done this way. I have not done it myself, but the ready availabilty of LED lighting stuff these days is such I will be trying it soon.  Think of something like the Titanic or other liner done that way- it should look spectacular.

Hi!

 Also on the foil idea . Use different shades of foil .That will give a more realistic look when you look at the ship !

Good idea stick never thought of that thanks

If they are already drilled out and open on the back side, why not put some foil across the inner surface? Shiny side out of course. Or some other light colored backing such as paper, of a proper shade.

The only clear glue i have is aliene clear tacky craft glue i want something that will stand out look lit up without lights.I was thinking of painting inside of portholes either gloss black or sliver. What to you think.

IMO, you can go hog wild and paint the inside of the hull black and install LED's to light it, or as an alternative can fill the openings with a "glass" look with micro krystal clear, formula 560, testors clear glue, etc.