UA648 - Imperial Japanese Navy Antifouling Hull Red

The underwater part of the hull of Japanese ships

The acrylic paint Imperial Japanese Navy Antifouling Hull Red is intended for the surfaces below the waterline. The red-brown tone corresponds to the finish meant to prevent marine fouling from settling on the bottom and the sides of a hull, and it completes the group of Japanese naval shades of the Lifecolor range.

Why the underwater color was red

The color of the underwater part did not arise for aesthetic or camouflage reasons. The finish was meant to protect the hull from fouling, which increases drag and slows a ship down, and its shade followed from the substances used. Hence the typical brick red to brown-red that modelers know from the ships of practically every navy. The differences between countries are in the shade, not in the principle, and that is why it makes sense to reach for the tone corresponding to a particular navy rather than for any red-brown at all.

The boundary that matters

The boundary between the underwater part and the side demands the most attention. It must be straight and at the same height along its whole length, because every waviness is immediately visible on a finished model. Masking along a scribed line or along the shape of the hull helps, as does calm work in thin coats. On models with the water surface represented this area is visible only in part; on models on a stand, on the other hand, it forms a large part of the view and it pays to give it the same care as the sides. Between the red and the gray some ships moreover had a narrow transitional band, so it is a good idea to look at the reference before laying out the division of the hull.

Suitable for

• The underwater parts of Japanese ships of all sizes
• Models on a stand with the bottom of the hull exposed
• A contrasting band below the waterline
• Completing the Japanese naval palette