Uss Alabama - deck color

If we are talking 1/700, one of the "panzer" greys can work, if if has a blue cast to it (I can't remember XF-63 is bluish at all); some of the "Luftwaffe blues" might suffice at smaller scales.

And using two similar, but different shades is probably a good way to contrast wood decks versus metal decks and furniture. 

I know that BB35 USS Texas, as presently painted, from standing on the deck, it has a charcoal sort of cast, and is a lighter hue than the vertical Sea Blue surfaces.  But, if you go aloft, the main deck gets "bluer" and tints as if darker.  Now, TP&W did not have wartime paint when they repainted, so, what they used was as close a match as they could afford (and is an on-going bone-of-contention for the Ship's Manager, who wants historically-accurate appearance, just, in budget for materials, and in budget for labour).

That's my 2¢, for using available tamiya acrylics in small scale, at least--others' will differ.

Has anyone tried the Life Color line of acrylics?  Free Time sells them as sets for specific navies.  I hear that they are excellent.

Bill

Reasoned

CRIMSON! ROLL TIDE!!!

sorry

Anyhow, no, WEM paints are beyond reproach IMNSHO. They are high pigment density enamels that live forever in the jar. They thin with lacquer thinner, and are not really very brushable unless you do two to three coats, but they are spot on in color.

All of these color conversion tables, whether they be IPMS Stockholm or any other, cannot give the modeler an accurate match. For that you need chips or a system matched to same.Tamiya and Testors are the worst offenders in matching colors they claim on the label.

In thirty years of modeling the second time around, I've spent pretty much countless hours buying little glass jars. i also buy all new paints for any model that I invest more than about a week in, and that includes all of my ships in which I take at least 6 months off and on to complete. There is NO economy to be gained in a less than great paint job, and goodenuff doesn't make it.

CRIMSON! ROLL TIDE!!!

sorry

Hold the phone! A bit more shopping and I found warship hobbies 

http://shop.WARSHIPHOBBIES.COM/WWII-US-Navy-Colors_c360.htm

The sell the full line. I also found this review of WE paints (not entirely flattering)

Steel navy: 

http://www.steelnavy.com/wem_colourcoats.htm

I think my skill level lends itself to the tamiya acrylics.  I have never tried to spray enamels.

Dear Ed, I had looked at the WE website prior to my post, but it does not seem that those are easy to find.  Their online catalog link is broken and the page has not been updated for a while.  

EdGrune

 

mydogbullet:

 

Does anyone have suggestion for a)following the trumpeter box photos and going with a light blue deck or b)an appropriate color for the navy resource 20-b color

 

 

White Ensign Models Colourcoats line of paints is your best out-of-the-tin selection for all of these paint colors.  They are mixed to the correct 1929 Munsell Color Standard which was used by the navy at that time.

 

  If you haven't seen it before, takea look at this color conversion chart. I can't testify to the accuracy of it, but it should be "close".

http://www.paint4models.com/paintchart/paintconversionchart20100101c.html#

 As for the lighter color, that seems to appear on several of the WWII BBs during the war, I suspect the deck blue "weathered" to a lighter shade rather quickly.

Gene

mydogbullet

Does anyone have suggestion for a)following the trumpeter box photos and going with a light blue deck or b)an appropriate color for the navy resource 20-b color

 

White Ensign Models Colourcoats line of paints is your best out-of-the-tin selection for all of these paint colors.  They are mixed to the correct 1929 Munsell Color Standard which was used by the navy at that time.