The original HMS Hermes aircraft carrier

[doog_k]

HMS Hermes (the first carrier of that name) spent most of her '20s & '30s peacetime in the waters around and sometimes inside China. I know that most navies of the day and the Royal Navy in particular had a propensity to paint their ships differently from the usual greys when in that part of the world.

I read (somewhere) that Hermes was no exception; white hull, buff funnel. But is this true?

I now have 1/144th scale drawings of Hermes and the thought of a white carrier, with silver Fairey IIIFs and Flycatchers cruising on our club water is very tempting.

Anyone out there know?

[tjstoneman]

To be pedantic/provocative, the first HMS HERMES to act as an aircraft carrier did so in 1913, but was sunk in October 1914.

However, the one referred to did indeed carry a Far East colour scheme (eg photo at http://img7.hostingpics.net/pics/806331 ... hermes.jpg); the actual colours have been the subject of much debate over recent years, and the jury is still out as to whether ships were white and "buff", or white and light grey.

Tim

[linux]

I have seen plenty of evidence that the two-tone China Station livery was white and grey, not white and buff.

For example, consider this painting of H.M.S. Hermes 1928-29 by Eric Tufnell (1888-1979), painted in 1975:

[doog_k]

Thanks guys, these are really helpful, I wasn't sure about the island, I'd anticipated grey with a buff funnel but the painting is intersting. Now to figure out how to make a lot of Fairey IIIFs

[dick]

I happened upon this yesterday:

[JCRAY]

Thanks for posting this Dick. I hope this can be the final answer.

[doog_k]

Thanks Gents, if I get my act together, in a couple of years, there may be a white aircraft carrier gracing the waters of Inverleith Pond in Edinburgh

[RNfanDan]

I'm looking forward to seeing an inter-war Hermes, myself!

Good luck on your build!

And of course, thanks to Dick for providing the reference re: China Station colours-- another myth falls from the mountain of improbable history!

--Dan