Hasegawa 1:700 Hancock

B25's on the Hornet would have been OD over Neutral Gray.  Joe

Can't help you with the ship, but, the AC paint scheme will depend on the year you're building. From 1941 to about 1943 Naval AC were painted in Flat Sea Blue over Grey. Beginning in 1943 the paint scheme was modified to the tri-color scheme. Matt Sea Blue on top, Intermediate Blue on the sides and Flat White on the bottom (some AC retained the grey bottoms). Starting in late 1944 early 1945 the paint scheme was changed again to a solid Gloss Sea Blue.

nsclcctl wrote:

Anyone build this, circa 1944 or 45?  The paint scheme is measure 32 design 3A but I cannot find details or color pictures?  Anyone help with what to choose in Tamiya and what the design is?  <<SNIP>>

Tamiya's paint selections, out of the bottle, are not accurate.  They are a neutral gray hue.  The US Navy's camouflage paints during WWII were purple-blue based. 

Measure 32 was termed a Medium Disruptive pattern camouflage, as opposed to Dark (Measure 31) and Light (Measure 33).  The colors used were 5-L Light Gray, 5-O Ocean Gray, and  Black

See shipcamouflage.com for all the information you will ever need

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/

Tamiya recommends XF-24 for Ocean Gray in their 1:350 Fletcher instructions.   For Light Gray you can probably go with XF-14.

As far as color photos, of the Hancock in dazzle have you tried the USNHC Photo Archives?

 

The Floating Drydock sells a camouflage design sheet for Measure 33/3a and the Floating Drydock's Camouflage 2 (Volume2 - Fleet Carriers) also has this design sheet.

http://www.floatingdrydock.com/camo.htm

nsclcctl wrote:

<< SNIP>> I am finishing the 1:700 Hornet, finall.  It looks good. In terms of the aircraft on the Hornet, were they olive drab top and grey underside? Thanks.

I am a bit confused by your posting.   Are you finishing up a Hornet before moving on to the Hancock?  Are you finishing the the Hancock as the Hornet?   Which Hornet - the Yorktown-class CV-8 which carried out the Doolittle raid or the Essex-class CV-12?  

Making an Essex-class into a Yorktown-class is almost impossible. 

The Hancock was what was known as a "Long-Hull" Essex.   The CV-12 Hornet was a "Short-Hull" Essex.   They really didn't have different waterline lengths, but the shape of the bows were different leading to different overall lengths.  Converting a Long Hull to a Short Hull is possible with a lot of surgery, putty and a good set of plans.  You may be better served with one of the newer Trumpeter or Dragon Essex kits instead of the old Hasegawa kit.

The camouflage applied to US Navy aircraft operating off aircraft carriers evolved as the war progressed.  They were blue/gray schemes evolving into overall blue.

US Army aircraft did fly off US carriers.  In addition to the aforementioned Doolittle B-25s, Army aircraft flew off in support of the invasion of North Africa as well as Pacific invasions.  These were one-way trips.  They were Olive over Gray

 

the shades of gray are not as important as the pattern is you want to get the dazzle pattern down to the mm in width and proper scale

some of the people here will agree

some articles on painting  say that going with exact colors is not always the best choice BECAUSE there is a  relationship between shades and scale 

and more so with the aircraft they are so small the underside gray would not show properly in that scale

i hope someone out here that knows about this will post and explain it better than i

With regards to the CV 8 Hornet and the Dolittle B-25s, DURR's suggestion on the underside gray color of the USAAF birds is a good one.

The Navy birds though, in 1942, had the light gray paint extend up the sides of the fuselage. With scale effect and some fading the colors would indeed tend to move closer to the same shade, but the differences should be there.

Of course its up to the modeller how he wishes to show them. Like all naval aircraft the planes would vary a lot between a new look and a faded look, since the service life each plane would differ.
For instance, SBD Dauntless and F4F Wildcats, generally could look a bit more worn than TBF Avengers aboard CV 8, if the plan was to show the Hornet post Midway.

An easy way to fade 1/700 planes could be after painting all with the sea gray mixed with a little white, or pale gray for scale, and decaling them, apply a subtle dry brush of the sea gray mixed with the lighter color. Just work some the planes a little lighter than others fading the decals too. Just keep it subtle.

Mike