I have the Riich 1/200 USS Balao sub from 1944. The color suggestion is overall flat black. I am thinking this is not correct. Can someone enlighten me to the colors and pattern used?
I saw a reference that said use #16 Medium gray with horizontal surfaces in black. ?? I don’t know if this is correct.
I don’t know what #16 medium gray is.
For horizontal surfaces where does the horizontal surface end and the vertical begin? Some demarcation lines are obvious but some are not. At the edge of the side hull/deck there is a rounded edge. Is black only on the wooden deck portion or does it extend over the curves side?
This includes several color references of the Measure 9, Measure 10, and Measure 32 schemes applied to the Balao class submarines, and some good photographs of the 5”/25 Mark 17 deck gun on the USS Cod living history memorial.
Measure 9 states all horizontal surfaces, except wooden decks, to be painted dark gray 5-D. What color was the wood deck to be? Natural wood? Some preservative, either clear, or in another color?
All vertical surfaces to be painted black. What of the curvature of the flooding tanks - are they to be 5-D, or black?
Teak is fairly impervious to water. It was one of the few materials that could survive the constant cycle of being baked in the sun and then plunged into high-pressure saltwater without warping or rotting.
The painting was largely for camouflage purposes.
Submarines shall have the exterior metal surfaces above the waterline at maximum beam painted with one coat of MI-146 over one coat of the dark zinc chromate primer, formula 84D, and one coat of dark anticorrosive paint, formula 14D. Wood slat decking shall be painted with two coats of copper bottom paint No. 16 colored black by the addition of one-half pound of dry lampblack per gallon of paint.
Ungalvanized areas within the superstructure and fairwaters and interior of free-flooding spaces, shall be painted with one coat of black plastic composition, formula 90, over one coat of dark zinc chromate primer, formula 84D, and one coat of anticorrosive paint, formula 14D.
Galvanized areas inside the superstructure and fairwaters and interior of free-flooding spaces, shall be painted with one coat of dull black paint, formula 13, over one coat of dark zinc chromate primer, formula 84D.
Looks great. I read that the paint scheme was to cover and conceal and was not to be used for inspection grade patterns. I have seen the edge between the deck and hull gray and black being a very neat brushed serrated edge, painted black only to the edge of wooden deck and some were spray painted with big over sprays of black onto the gray.
Thanks. I used acrylics and mixed my own colors. Hard to see, but white was used as a countershade in some areas. Like under the gun platforms on the Fairwater.
