IJN Hull Color (Maizuru)

The color

This is a modeling paint intended for the hulls of Imperial Japanese Navy ships, specifically for the shade associated with the Maizuru arsenal. The Japanese naval arsenals, Maizuru among them, mixed their naval gray independently, and the shades therefore differed between arsenals. For ship modelers this means choosing the shade according to where a ship was built or last repainted during a refit, rather than according to one universal tone.

Thinning and application

Choose the thinner and the thinning ratio according to the instructions stated by the manufacturer on the packaging and use a thinner intended for this range. Stir the contents of the bottle thoroughly before work, so that the pigment settled at the bottom is spread through the whole volume. Apply the paint in thin coats and let each one dry before you lay down the next; a heavy coat floods the fine surface detail, of which there is plenty on the deck and the superstructures.

Building and painting tips

Wash and degrease the model before painting, otherwise blotches will form on greasy spots. On the large areas of the hull it pays to vary the shade slightly so that the ship does not look like a single casting: run a slightly lighter tone through the middle of panels and leave the seams darker. Compare the paint in daylight, because gray shades shift under a light bulb. After work, wipe the rim of the bottle and close it carefully, otherwise the lid dries shut over time.

• a modeling paint for the hulls of Imperial Japanese Navy ships
• the shade of the Maizuru arsenal, the designation C603
• usable regardless of the scale of the model
• a thinner intended for this range, ratio as stated by the manufacturer on the packaging
• applied in thin coats so that the surface detail is preserved

Terms of supply

Thinner, brushes, an airbrush and the model are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.