What colour

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello ……………….WW2 experts

I would like to know the correct Humbrol ref number for battleship grey for 1940….please

This will be used to paint my current model……. "Jeanie Deans in wartime"  paddle steamer

The authentic photograph taken at the time shows the hotch potch style cammo……………but I think I prefer the all grey style

Thank you

Bob Abell

[Ian KennedyParticipant @iankennedy31889]

Hi Bob,

There was no real fixed colour for RN small warships,it could vary between dark and light sea Grey or whatever they had lying around the dock yard.

If i remember correctly Humbrol colour codes suitable for your model would be ;

Matt sea grey 27

or Satin medium sea grey 165

or Satin dark sea grey, this was sometimes used on steel decks or disruptive camoflage.

Hope this helps you

Ian

[Ian KennedyParticipant @iankennedy31889]

sorry Bob,

The Satin Humbrol dark sea grey code is 164

Ian

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob, if you are ignoring historical accuracy completely by NOT painting it in camo fashion, I shouldnt have thought you would be so fussy as to the right shade of grey?????    or wot     Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Bob

Try this site..see chapter 2 Royal Navy

http://www.shipcamouflage.com/development_of_naval_camouflage.htm

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you …Ian, Ashley and Paul

You`ve given me a few ideas………………….????

Ashley`s got me worried now with his caustic observation!……………..What shall I do?……..

Cammo and break up the fine lines…………….or simple grey all over?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Bob in a TIZWAZ!

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

Historical accuracy is important if you are building a museum piece or if like the Great Eastern you want to get it right.

However you could also say Bo***cks and just paint it gray.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Paul

We`ve only got a black and white picture of Jeanie Deans in her war paint………………..How do we achieve historical accuracy with that?

Got yer!

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Morning Bob

If the photo is the only historical reference that you can find then you would have to use that as your blueprint for the accuracy of the camouflage scheme. as for the shades of colours go back to the ship camouflage web sites and research the royal naval paint schemes of WW2, anything else is purely subjective and dependant upon any critic having a better historical database.

I am sure that an archivist somewhere will have more accurate information and will probably pop up when you have finished the model and say that your camouflage scheme is 2 microns out or that the deck should be painted a delicate shade of pink, these are things that you don’t know and as such encapsulates the dilemma that faces all historical model builders.

In other words your dammed if you do and dammed if you dont

Over to you captain

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Bob. I am sure in wartime that the "correct" colour was the one that they had in hand at the time. You only have to look at for instance pictures from the first gulf war to see that British forces vehicles were painted in anything from yellow sand colour to bright pink. To my mind any grey aroundabout the accepted "proper" colour would do. Its you that has to live with it, so pick a nice WW2 grey that you think is about right and splash it on .I am not sure that Humbrol battleship grey is neccessarily the most correct colour to use, more of a "standard"..you see loads of models painted with the normal Humbrol colour and it becoms del facto the "right" colour.  Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thanks Paul and Ashley for your excellent advice

Since I`m a long time off from the paint shop………………it`s not vital at the moment.

While waiting for the PVA glue to dry in this damp cold weather……………I`ve started work on the superstructure and chimney`s etc………………..and it would have been nice to start the paint job a little earlier

I`ll pick a nice grey…………………and call it "undercoat "for the time being?

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

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