Tracy,
Thanks for the input. I picked up the Tom's Modelworks Argonaut at IPMS Nationals, and was wondering how to paint it pre-war. I had looked at the pictures on NavSource and found an aerial view with the hull very light, horizontal steel areas very dark, and the deck planking noticeably darker than the hull, but much lighter than the steel decks. After doing more searching on NavSource I found a paper on sub painting that discussed post WWI experiments, and stated that it was decided to have light grey hulls and black decks and tops of ballast tanks. I can see this in pictures from the 20's and early 30s. Close-up shots convince me that deck was painted or stained a dark color, but it looks lighter in aerial views, possibly because different kinds of paints/stains were used on wood and steel surfaces, differences in reflection and absorption, differential weathering, etc. I think I will use standard Navy pre-war grey for the hull and conning tower, black for the steel decks, and medium grey for the planking, with a heavy black wash.
I did find some pictures of the pre-war subs in the mid-30's, with hulls painted black, and the decks very light, too light to be explained away. Not sure what is up with that.
Charles Watson
Tracy,
Thanks for the input. I picked up the Tom's Modelworks Argonaut at IPMS Nationals, and was wondering how to paint it pre-war. I had looked at the pictures on NavSource and found an aerial view with the hull very light, horizontal steel areas very dark, and the deck planking noticeably darker than the hull, but much lighter than the steel decks. After doing more searching on NavSource I found a paper on sub painting that discussed post WWI experiments, and stated that it was decided to have light grey hulls and black decks and tops of ballast tanks. I can see this in pictures from the 20's and early 30s. Close-up shots convince me that deck was painted or stained a dark color, but it looks lighter in aerial views, possibly because different kinds of paints/stains were used on wood and steel surfaces, differences in reflection and absorption, differential weathering, etc. I think I will use standard Navy pre-war grey for the hull and conning tower, black for the steel decks, and medium grey for the planking, with a heavy black wash.
I did find some pictures of the pre-war subs in the mid-30's, with hulls painted black, and the decks very light, too light to be explained away. Not sure what is up with that.
Charles Watson
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