USN late war neutral gray

[Fliger747]

I am scratch building a 1:192 USS Alaska CB1 and the question has arisen as to how one might ascertain whether or not in 1945 configuration the ship was painted in a blue tint measure 22 or a neutral gray. I suppose this question might apply to most ships in the pacific during this era. Is their any difference in the paint codes or are they the same as the blue-purple tints?

Thanks: Tom

[Tracy White]

The Navy, in their infinite wisdom, decided to use the same designation in most cases. It simplified things in war time but makes our jobs as historians more difficult. If you were able to find records of work you *might* be able to ascertain the differences, but in my decade or so of archival research, I've only seen one official departure report that listed the actual paints used, the majority simply state "painted in accordance with current directives."

However....

It looks like she repainted in late December '44/early January 1945, which might be too early for the neutral paints. The main directives to the fleet went out in February, but we do have a directive from January 3 1945 saying that Mare Island had already changed her manufacturing formula. The question is where Hunters Point got their paint (this was the availability in which Alaska repainted) and how quickly Mare Island started shipping it. Might be a question you could solve at NARA San Bruno but I can't guarantee it.

[Fliger747]

Thanks Tracy!

Even a poor color photo from the era would answer the question. Even at the point that many color images from that date are almost worthless.

An interesting point as most modelers have tended towards the blue purple. The model at this point is somewhat incompletely painted in neutral measure 22.

Cheers. T

[Timmy C]

Even a poor color photo from the era would answer the question.

Not necessarily - here are two photos of USS Idaho, in colour, during the same bombardment of Okinawa:
http://i.imgur.com/aGrtHYK.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/wSMuyty.jpg

It's clear one has a blue tint to the paint, while the other does not. Which one is more true to life?

[Fliger747]

I do have the facility to more or less restore color Balance in old photos, depending on what is available for reference. It is typical for old photos, especially to either have an original color imbalance or acquire one with age due to poor storarage conditions, some film types worse than others.

Indeed original color photos of the era not great exact reference "in the raw".

T

[Fliger747]

Looking for now as if she was still in the blues after going operational in the Pacific. The only question if she could have been repainted hiding out for a month of maintenance in the Philippines.

Going for Blues at present!