ATOM WWII US Navy Ships Basic Colors Set

Grays, blue and red for an American deck

The contents list names four shades: a light gray, a lighter tone of gray called Light Ghost Gray, the dark Ocean Blue and the deep Blood Red. This combination covers the backbone of the usual finish of American warships – the darker tone at the waterline and on the sides, the lighter one higher up on the superstructure, the red on the underwater part of the hull and on small items such as fire extinguishers or the insides of lifeboats.

How American ships were painted

The US Navy worked with a numbered system of paint schemes. Some were built on a uniform dark blue that pressed the ship down against the water when seen from sea level, others combined a graded transition from a dark side to a light superstructure and allowed for a view from above. A model on which this difference can be seen looks more convincing than the most carefully executed rigging.

Application

The ATOM range is ready to go straight into the airbrush; if it thickens in the bottle, deal with it with a drop of thinner of the same brand, not with tap water. Spray the large sides of the hull in overlapping passes from stern to bow so that no streaks appear. Have the plastic hull degreased and sanded before you apply the paint, because ship plastic comes out of the mold as smooth as glass and paint grips it poorly. Pull the transitions between the areas of the scheme with a paper mask. Leave the deck and the wooden surfaces until last, as they cover less well and a dark base likes to show through. You will see the difference mainly on large vessels.