I am about to start working on the Tamiya 1:350 Missouri. I am wanting to model her in the paint scheme she wore during the Japanese surrender. The only problem is, every picture I have found so far is either in black and white, or in color and only showing a very small portion of the ship, concentrating more on the sailors watching the surrender.
I will admit that with work, a family, and trying to get our house ready to sell, I have not really had ample time to research as to what paint scheme to use. But, I thought one of my modelling fraternity brothers and sisters might have a quick answer for me. I do appreciate the input from anybody and everybody. Hopefully I can get this one looking good enough to post some pics once completed!
“G” that’s exactly what I’ve talked about before . Many looked very grungy and ill cared for in wartime . Considering what was going on I am surprised the Admiral didn’t put some men over the side to try and clean her up !
That is a very exppressive picture . The " MO " at last , quieting her guns and being the place it officially ended !
Do note, though, that the superstructure paint is no where near as bad as the hull paint.
That’s because the crew had access to the superstructure while underway (unlike the hull).
The ship was in the Pacific, not the Eastern Front, and unlike panzers in the snow and mud, the ships had plenty of paint aboard and idle hands to be put to applying same.
I think there was a message being sent to the Japanese. That was that although we had clearly beaten them and won the war we were not going to lord it over them. If you note the uniform of the day for the officers was ordinary working washed kahki. No fancy uniforms, no medals, no gloves and swords. Same goes for the ship. Although the surrender area is clean and well painted, the teak deck is covered with ordinary deck paint.
Bill, does that look like soot below the top edge being black ? My brother on the Indiana was in Pearl for repairs from a kamakazi hit on their prop. He (& the Indiana) took the Missouri out on it’s initial run from Pearl to the South Pacific & then was with her at the surrender.
At supper one night my wife asked him how long it was before he came back to the US. He said only a week as they brought 1000 POW’s back from Japan. He said they had a 24 hr messhall & the POW’s got first serve. That was the only time I ever saw a lot of emotion when he talked about that.
All the new Battleships had been going up the Jap coast bombarding it before the surrender . After the surrender his ship sent a bunch of the tallest guys into Japan with 45’s & he was one of them. They had no trouble. Our next door neighbor was captured at Corregador & lost his leg while a prisoner. I have wondered if he might have been on my brother’s ship. There is a good picture of the Indiana coming under the Golden Gate bridge when they came home. That must have been a little over 2 or 3 weeks after the end. It was inregular gray & no camoflage.
Gene, it could be soot, shadow, or worn paint showing the previous camouflage. Thanks for sharing that story of your brother and the Indiana. It is inspiring! I wish that we Americans today could treat each other with such humanity, courtesy, and respect. It would be good to see once again.
Thats not a Bren. It is a Japanese Type 99 Light Machine Gun (light my eye – the thing weighs almost 30 pounds empty!).
Here it is for the world to see. Someone recommended Postimage.org. It has an interface similar to PB
My wife gave me the backstairs tour of the WWII Museum in New Orleans for Christmas. Had a chance to handle a bunch of period weapons (no shooting). First-hand crawl over and into their M4.
The museum in New Orleans is a good show. The Home Front gallery has since opened as has their boat ride on the refurbished PT boat. If you are anywhere near the SE USA put it on your must do list. While in NOLA there are also good groceries to be consumed. Hey Aaron, you should send Elisabeth there for a museum report.
Well, the next size up, the Type 92, called “The Woodpecker” was about 70#, 122# with the mount. So, that 99 is light-er
The US never really had a like weapon. So, you went from the BAR at 19-22#; then, eventually, the 32# M-1919A6 (the regular 1919A4 was 31, with a 60# tripod), and the water-cooled M-1917 was a svelte 49# with it’s 60# tripod.
Yes, the curator who was running the session noted that in US parlance an air-cooled M-1919 .30 caliber machine gun was considered to be a ‘light’ gun while a water-cooled .30 caliber was considered to be ‘heavy’. Same could be said for a .50 caliber comparing the infantry weapon vs the water-cooled anti-aircraft version.
