AFV's 1/350 Gato class, 1943

Gold,

I am building the Trumpeter 1/144 Gato as the Wahoo for a friend who's Grandfather served on her. She was still Black after the last refit at Mare Island.  I'm using Colourcoats paint, Black for the hull and sail and Norfolk 65-A Red for the anti-fouling below the waterline. I'm not sure about the Red anti-fouling paint, but I want to break up the look and there are examples of 65-A being used on other boats. Hope this helps.

Steve

According to the shipcamouflage.com database the Wahoo was in Measure 9 (overall black) at the time of her loss

Thank you guys.

docidle-  if your friend has not done so and the relative was aboard at the time of the sinking, I would suggest he contact the US submarine museum and the Bowfin group.  They are always looking for relatives of those who served aboard her.

After rereading the reports, ( I had forgotten the classic "running gun battle" quote).  I may do a second one in a surface diorama with that as the theme.

Long long ago, one of my family's neighbors would splutter in leather-clad outrage "[expletive]Pig boats ain't [expletive] got no [expletive] 'sails' [expletive], they [expletive] gots conn' towers, like an [expletiove] submariine [expletive]'s s'posed to!  Only [expletive]Rickover's [derogitory term for procuror illicit acts]-boats got [expletive]'sails'[expletive]!

He would get more colorfol in expression the more "kentucky coffee" his morning allowed.  Was no one better at getting tippy or delicately-balanced things through a cocktail party crowd--the things a lifetime in diesel boats will teach a person.

Deck reads slightly lighter shade in the photos I have from "On Eternal Patrol".

G- thanks for the colors, and the fade on top as she was 3-4 months out of refit.

Captn-got to stop bringing beverages to the computer.........though I used to be able to run up and down stairs with a full cup of coffee in my tech school days back when.

Cap'n one can only shudder at that persons opinion of the helm being manned by "drivers"

From a book published privately, "On Eternal Patrol- The Lost Boats of Mare Island". If you are ever there, look for it in the museum book stall.

GMorrison

shudder at that persons opinion of the helm being manned by "drivers"

O, I imagine he'd be apolyptic at the though of women being planesmen

I met him when I was still single digits old, but, he made an impression.

He always wore his leather jacket every chance he could, and it had a funk of diesel, onions, cigarettes, sweat amd the like made indellible from the boats.  He always wore a silver belt buckle with silver dolphins on it--so, I'm guessing he was a mustang.  He had two combat cruise pins which fit with his being an O-6 in the mid 60's commanding Reserve diesel boats.

He fit those boats like a glove.  Even well after all the deck guns and lookout platforms had gone to the scrappers.

Was some on-base speculation that he had the grocery come and delivery all the canned & boxed goods up and down the hallways, to be trodden over until used--just like in the boats.  There was a running dare among the wives to go over and ask to use the powder room just to see how much gear was in there(or additional plumbing).

He'd be the guy to ask if they painted the decks from the center out, the better to keep a faded edge while on (or before going on) patrol.  Except that cigarettes and COPD took him before his time.

For what it's worth, US Submarines pre-war used hull red, but about the time the war started a black antifouling was introduced. Generally if the overhaul involved any out-of-water time they would be repainted.

Thanks for the clarification Tracy, I will now paint her black all over.

Steve

x2, was wondering if she might have still been red a.f. below the waterline.  All black she shall be with a fade on top.