Hull red

Angeliccypher · Post by **Angeliccypher** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:57 pm

I am trying to figure out what red is the best to use to paint the hull below the water line on US Navy WWII vessels. I paint using acrylics. But I can us a FS number too. I tried searching the forums but after about 45 minutes I gave up on that one.

Thank you in advance.

Post by **Timmy C** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:18 pm

I'm happy with Polly Scale's Italian Camo. Brown:
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... index.html

Angeliccypher · Post by **Angeliccypher** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:30 pm

The floquil brand?

Post by **Timmy C** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:40 pm

I think Floquil is oil-based - the PS I use are acrylics.

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:17 pm

Just so you know there's no FS number for USN WWII Hull red. The FS system didn't come about until after the war.

scottj · Post by **scottj** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:24 pm

Tracy White wrote:Just so you know there's no FS number for USN WWII Hull red. The FS system didn't come about until after the war.

This statement seems to come up in every thread when someone asks for guidance on colors. While it is accurate it is of little or no help.

A request - it would be very helpful if it was also accompanied with "but a close equivalent is" or "try a 50/50 mix of FS12345 & FS56789", or even "there is no color even close in the FS list". I've been trying to study up on this question since restarting the hobby about a year ago and still don't have an idea what a reasonable match for anti-fouling red might be.

At least in this thread I can go look at Polly Scale Italian Camo Brown and get some idea of a color that someone thinks is close.

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:26 pm

Oh, let me be of further no help then: "You can get an exact match in White Ensign's Colourcoat line of paints, but as I don't use Acrylics, I cannot help you otherwise."

Angeliccypher · Post by **Angeliccypher** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 10:38 am

Thanks for that Tracy. I have never tried White Ensign. But I will look into them.

In another post somewhere that I can not find, you mentioned that there is accuracy issues with Life Color paints. I do like the way they airbrush and hand brush though. What were you referring to with the accuracy issues?

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 10:55 am

It's hidden in the FAQ:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=77101

Sean Hert · Post by **Sean Hert** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:12 pm

I like Testor's British Crimson.

GTDEATH13 · Post by **GTDEATH13** » Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:21 am

I always use Humbrol enamel no. 73... Some people prefer 113 or 174...

zadmiral · Post by **zadmiral** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:15 pm

Am trying to find out if standard model paints(enamels) will be durable enough to actually see sea service.
My large scale models will require Norfolk antifouling red and haze gray 5H and dark blues.
And does anybody sell this paint in the quart?

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 3:19 pm

Your best bets for that would either be to coat the heck out of the standard tins or to buy the Snyder & Short Paint Chips and take them to a commercial paint shop.

Rocky1775 · Post by **Rocky1775** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:20 pm

Is WWII hull red different than modern hull red? I have been advised to use British Crimson on my modern USN hulls, there is a Model Master paint called "Hull Red" that is much darker and browner, and my 350 scale USS Nimitz kit color key tells me that I should use FS30061 Cocoa Brown.

Rocky1775 · Post by **Rocky1775** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:17 am

Hull red is a bright gloss red, WWII or today, unless the hull is blue.

USS Pennsylvania, September 7, 1944

USS Bonhomme Richard LHD 6

USS Winston S Churchill

USS Port Royal

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:55 am

Hull red varies with batch and age. Bright? No, not normally. Don't trust the colors in that Pennsylvania shot too much.

John Snyder · Post by **John Snyder** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:40 am

WW2 Norfolk 65-A is markedly different from the modern USN Antifouling Red. We have both in our Colourcoats enamels.

Jim21680 · Post by **Jim21680** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 3:32 pm

A blue hull, eh?? Interesting; never saw that before.

Anyway, Tracy makes a good point. I don't think there's a standard or correct "hull red" anywhere in the modeling world, or real ship world for that matter.
I have no doubt that shades have changed over the years, and also changed among different paint manufacturers and ships of a common time period as well.
Plus, once in the water, this stuff will change very rapidly.

So, depending on what you're building (a pristine ship or something a weathered), your own preference is probably as good as any "professional" guess.

I did the USS Alabama in Testor's flat red enamel, which turned out pretty nice. Not too eye-catching & flashy, but definitely more of a red than brown.
In person, it looks very much like the Pennsylvania's red in the picture, which is what I was after being that is a "pristine" ship...if you could call it that

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