I typically build aircraft, so my experience and knowledge with regard to WWII US Navy subjects is a bit thin. Having said that, as a native Texan who has toured the USS Texas many times, I’ve always wanted to build her. When Trumpeter released their kit a few years ago, I picked it up and pitched it into the deep recesses of my stash, until now.
My progress has been slow for a variety of reasons, but I’ve managed to get the hull assembled and put down a coat of black Stynylrez primer.
So my concern is this - I have a bottle of Tamiya XF-9 Hull Red that I have painted up to the water line on the underside of the hull. The remainder of the painting will be to do a Measure 22 scheme consisting of 5N Navy Blue, 5H Haze Gray, and 20B Deck Blue. But in looking at the Hull Red, it looks far closer to maroon than red. Every photo I’ve seen of this kit shows a color more closely aligned with red than with what I’m seeing at my bench.
The painting guide does indicate XF-9 for the lower hull, so I’m using the right paint here. Is it possible that my particular bottle of paint was old and has lost some of its red (knowing that red and black mixed, generally speaking, will make maroon)? Is this the right look? Or should I get something different? Although a simple red just seems too bright.
It could be, that the black primer is “looking through” a nice, thin layer of red paint. Then again, an oxide red paint isn’t very "Ferrari-like"neither. Maybe it would be a good idea to do some light shading with bright red - that would give you nice, eye-catching colour variation and I don’t think you’d end up too bright, because most red paints are very translucent. Good luck with your build and have a nice day
For all of the topside colors, Tamiya IMO doesn’t have anything close to what you need. You could spend a lot of time chasing down equivalents, and find that some will say “Gunship Gray” is close to “Haze Gray” or whatever, but I would go straight to Testors MM enamels, if you use enamels.
Yeah, the Hull Red, up close ought to look more “brick” or “maroon” than red. Which is ok, as most photos you see of bottom paint are color-corrected to a more red than the red actually is (except with some merchant ships, which will sport an apple or tomato sort of red).
It will only be aissue if you intend to do any weathering washes over the hull bottom, as thous will darken the color.
This is also complicated as the photos we have of Texas are from her dry-docking in 1988 (her first & only since 1948) are distinctly red-orange.
I have switched to ColourCoat paints for the majority of my non sailing ship models. I don’t have to quess at what color is closest anymore. Granted, it’s an Enamal that needs Laquer Thinner to cut for airbrushing and brush painting but it I see well worth it.
For the “correct” Hull Red for USN ships of WWII vintage, I use:
US14 Norfolk 65A Antifouling Red. The US distributer is H&B Hobbies. Here’s the link and I hope this helps
Thanks for everyone’s input here. Given that it seems the Tamiya hull red is more suited to IJN vessels, I’m going with the ColourCoat paint. So as soon as it comes in, back to the painting station.
I would recommend using a 50/50 paint to thinner ratio. I use Artist grade laquer thinner for my painting. Although, when Bob has the ColourCoat thinner in stock, I stock up on that. You’ll have to fine tune it for your environmental conditions.