Color photo of HMCS Midland in modified WA scheme

[Mike E.]

All:

Below please find a link to a nice picture of the RCN Flower Class Corvette HMCS Midland being painted up in a modified Western Approaches scheme:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... 821041.jpg

It seems that an overall mid-gray scheme is being overpainted with a Western Approaches White and dark blue scheme (though the dark blue panel looks too dark and intense to be B5). Thus, dark blue has been used in lieu of the pale Western Approaches Blues and Greens in the panels above the waterline.

Might anyone have insight into what color this might be, or whether the passage of time, and color shifts typical of Kodachrome or other early color films might distort the color reproduction (after all, the water is an oily black-gray color!).

Also, please note that the Flower Class Corvettes in the background seem to be painted in AP507A, dark gray, which was also often used as a substitute color for WA Blue panels. Compared to these gray ships, the Blue panels on Midland are a very different color.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Stay healthy all!!!

Best,

Mike E.

[SovereignHobbies]

The blue isn't B5, but is reminiscent of the dark blue seen on HMS Hesperus in Hvalfjord, Iceland. These paints seem to predate the standard camouflage colours.

[dick]

It is a mistake to believe that the RCN (or RN for that matter) used only the approved RN camouflage paint colour palette. RCN ships based in Canada used locally sourced paints. For example, from the outbreak of war until August 1944 (and probably in some cases later) they did not use the RN's 507A HFG as their overall dark grey. Instead they used 1-GP-12 #32 which was a neutral grey without the hint of blueishness of 507A ie most probably BS381C #32 Dark Battleship Grey. In the case of Midland's dark blue you are perhaps looking at "1-GP-12 #4".

[Mike E.]

Thanks James and Dick... it's because of guys like you that I love this site so much. Thanks for sharing your insights with me and with the rest of the forum membership.

Stay healthy!

Best,

Mike E.

[GrahamB]

Hi James,

what would be the colours on HMS Hesperus? Black, 507A, dark blue, pale hull colour?, white upperworks?
Nice HMT Sir Gareth by the way.

Cheers
GrahamB

[dick]

Mediterranean Grey (ie 507C), a medium non-blue grey, and black according to a contemporary eye witness. The apparent slight blueishness low on the darker hull panels must be something to do with the photograph.

[SovereignHobbies]

If making a model, then BS381-32 Dark Battleship Grey (nowadays -632 Dark Admiralty Grey) looks to be in the right sort of ballpark for the medium grey.