I’m working on Trumpeter’s USS PITTSBURGH heavy cruiser. I notice that painting calls for deck blue on the main deck, yet there is a molded-in pattern resembling wood planking. Were these actually wooden decks that were painted deck blue? If they were wood, were they ever not painted and did they ever appear in a wood tone?
Thanks in advance
they were painted/stained during the war but not before the war
The kit represents the Pittsburgh during WWII. She was commissioned in October, 1944, and in June, 1945 she suffered the loss of her bow during a typhoon. She ended the war being reconstructed. As noted above, wartime painting instructions called for the wooden decks to be painted/stained in 20-B Deck Blue. The dazzle camouflage scheme in which seh was painted in 1944/1945 may have included 5-O Ocean Gray patches on the decks.
After the war, when she exited the yards, she had a new enclosed bridge - shown here
Note that she is in monotone post-war haze gray, new electronics, and a large shaded hull number. The decks have been stripped to “bright” wood. Note too that the quad 40mm Bofors mounts have been replaced by twin 3-inch guns.
The Pittsburgh served until the early 1970s.
ddp, Ed,
Thank you for your replies.
Ed, that photo clearly shows the demarcation of the steel foredeck and the lighter wooden deck. Thanks for providing it.