Color match for WWII US Navy gray color

[garydhiker]

Hi members, I hope someone can answer a question for me. I've begun modeling after a 25 year lay off. I've completed a 700 scale Missouri battleship, along with making my own plastic display case and sea scene. Also have 2 Arleigh Burke 350 scale models done. I am planning to create several WWII destroyers and Cruisers. My question is about paint color. I've been seeing alot about exact paint codes from WWII and sites for blending paint. To make it easier for me what spray can paint, Model Masters Testors or Tamiya color will be the closest to a WWII gray color? I saw a plain Testors Gloss Gray and I would also use a deglosser spray on it. What paint color already in sprays can match a WWII US Navy Gray? Eventually I will use an airbrush and learn about blending, but for now I'm looking for the easiest. Regards, Garydhiker

[Tracy White]

There were actually several "grays" used in WWII, and none are in the FS 595 catalog as they pre-date it and were considered obsolete before FS 595 was created. Missouri herself was in Camouflage Measure 22 at the end of the war, and Camouflage Measure 32, Pattern 22D earlier during her shakedown cruise in the Atlantic. Measure 22 is the simpler of the two to paint, consisting of Navy Blue 5-N in a straight line from the lowest point of the main deck down to the waterline, and wartime haze gray above it. The Navy had actually reformulated paints in February, so she might have been in Navy Gray 5-N instead of Navy Blue, but I don't have any knowledge one way or the other. I don't have any conversions or "close to" numbers for you as I use white ensign paints, but I thought I'd at least give you a proper starting point.

[denstore]

Since you are saying that you are planning on doing some kits, I would really like to recommend against spray cans. It might seem expensive to buy a decent airbrush, but properly cared for, it will last a lifetime, and at the cost of a few spray cans.