A heat shield panel for a gas turbine engine includes a substrate layer having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface opposite the first substrate surface. The first substrate surface and the second substrate surface define a substrate layer thickness therebetween. One or more thermally protective coating layers are applied to the first substrate surface of the substrate layer. The one or more coating layers have a constant coating layer thickness and the substrate layer thickness tapers along an axial length of the heat shield panel.