I thought I would post the paint scheme I use for Modern Naval vessels from various nations like the US Navy, Chinese Navy (PLAN), Royal Navy, Russian Navy, French Navy, JMSDF (Japan), etc.
Note, this is for modern (as in 1980s and on) naval vessels and does not apply to early Cold War and particularly World War II veseels. Also, some may disgaree with my colors…I admit up front that these are not exacting. They are however what I have used to make sure all of my ships match one another as I build these various nations’ complete Carrier strike groups (CSGs) and Amphibious Ready groups (ARGs).
Anyhow…enjoy!
Note: Here’s the link to the page on my site with this table:
Thanks Jeff! I know you posted this quite a few years ago, but I am glad that I stumbled upon it. Have been looking for something like this for a few weeks now. I am a longtime Army guy, but looking to getting into building a few boats!
The only question I have is this. Until I got out of the Corps I still remember the ship decks being kind of a dark Greyed version of Cadet Blue. I spent many years on cans and carriers and that is the most common color I remember.
Before I transfered to the Corps I was on a Fram Destroyer and her decks were that Bluish Dark grey. My last " Can" was the U.S.S. Turner Joy. When I went through the Panama Canal as a Civilian Master I noticed the Russian Naval Unit going the other way was kind of a Greenish Grey.
Now on that. Did you take into account that the Soviets, like the Japanese have some slight color differences based on what yard they were built or serviced in ? I learned that early on. Just a thought though. I like the listing and it IS a lot of help ! Thanks T.B. A Tip; I use a thin wash of Anthracite over the flat Black on the windows . That gives that kind of Glassy effect.
Speaking of matching. You do a great job in that regard so That settles that !
Yes I am aware of the differences. i Just wnated something to be able to match the various ships to in the various nations. I have US, UK, Japan, Korea, China, Russia, etc. A totla of something like 70 ships at this point in 1.350, 15 in 1/700, one in 1/192 (Old Ironsides, an all wood , cloth, and string build), and 51 1/72 aircraft. I just wanted something lose that I could make sure the various countries all matched to “their colors”. They are not the exact Federal Standard colos used.
Under the US section, if by “life rafts” you mean the standard containers that pop out a 25 man raft, the container should be grey, not white. The grey is the same color as the hull, but since it is grey plastic, it has a different reflectance than the grey paint on the hull. In some light, they seem lighter, but it is just an optical illusion.
I served as First Lieutenant on a US cruiser, directly responsible for these life rafts.
Ain’t A First Leftenant a Marine? Watchya doin the Bos’ns work for? Just razzin ya. We all had something different to do. As the senior N.C.O. on a Carrier I was responsible for the Armory and the ( What I call The Bombery/Misslery storage.) Yeah, things that go Boom !
Plus I had the responsibility of takingcare of the watchlist of the Marines on Quarterdeck and Bridge watch. Gosh, I hated office work!
“First Lieutenant” is a post appointment, rather than a rank. In the U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard, the billet of first lieutenant describes the officer in charge of the deck department or division, depending on the size of the ship. In smaller ships that have only a single deck division, the billet is typically filled by an ensign; while in larger ships, with a deck department consisting of multiple subordinate divisions, the billet may be filled by a lieutenant commander. On submarines and smaller Coast Guard cutters, the billet of first lieutenant may be filled by a petty officer. EJ
TB, Things may have changed between your USN time and mine between 73 and 98. On my Belknap class CG, the First LT (an O-2 or O-3) was responsible for First Division, home of all the BMs and non-rated seamen. We owned all the Seamanship stuff, boats, fo’c’sle, unrep, and like that (including the liferaft canisters).
When I went to a CV, I had a couple of jobs in the Engineering Dept, so I tended to lose interest in the Deck guys. They had a First Div, Second Div, and up to 5th Div, all under the O-4 First Lt. I never figured out how they split their responsibilities. Then, as Chief Engineer on a frigate, I completely lost track of who’s who up on the weather decks. My guys provided the engineer for the gig, and a BT to test the fuel to start an unrep, and otherwise we stayed out of the fresh air.
Plenty of GREAT experience there. Appreciate your years of service. If you get a chance check out Jeff Head’s channel on you tube. My colors are out of date, but they keep all of my ships from the various nation the same and at least close.
That listing looks pretty good, except for the underwater hull on US Navy ships. Some of the newer copperous oxide or organic tin ablative paints are of a different color than the standard hull red mix. As a diver, one of my postings was part of the Navy’s Waterborne Hull Cleaning Program. Back then I had a list of all Pac Fleet units and what they were painted with and when. Most of that doesn’t matter now, but be aware that some of the paints aren’t even red; they vary from the standard anti-foul hull red to a purplish tone, to even a blue.
The gray-blue bottom of MISSOURI is organic tin ablative paint.
P.S. As an observation, the boot topping on this vessel is only about four feet tall / wide.
What this all comes down to is do your homework before you decide on the color.
