Modern Royal Navy colour

[SeanM]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find it. So, what is the best colour for a Type 23 Frigate? And what colours for the decks? I did notice in one of the reference photos on the pinned thread that the higher decks are a lighter shade. 

 

Thanks for for your help in advance

Sean

[JosephLalor]

676 Light Weatherwork Grey from BS381c is the current RN main colour (unless there's been a recent change).  It and the deck dark grey are both in the Colourcoats range.

Edited December 27, 2016 by JosephLalor

[Simon Cornes]

Depends on the scale but I always though Humbrol 127 (Light Gull Gray) was about right for the hull. A very subjective subject though because sometimes hull grey looks like a mix of just black and white but at other times it seems to have a bluish tinge due to reflections.

I have used 127 at 1/96th and am happy with that and then something like Humbrio 27 for decks.

Bear in mind that the stuff is mixed in big drums when used at 1:1 and so the shade can even vary along the hull and certainly between ships. In practical terms, if it looks right to you then go for it!

[SeanM]

Thank you Gents! 

[bootneck]

I would like to ask a similar question in reference to modern RN colours.   I have a couple of 1:350 modern vessels on the go and would like to know which are the best Acrylics to use for them?  I'd be grateful if someone could also advise me of the part numbers for these colours, as well as the brands please.  I mostly use Vallejo acrylics but they are Air colours.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Mike

[4scourge7]

On ‎27‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 2:04 PM, Simon Cornes said:

Depends on the scale but I always though Humbrol 127 (Light Gull Gray) was about right for the hull. A very subjective subject though because sometimes hull grey looks like a mix of just black and white but at other times it seems to have a bluish tinge due to reflections.

I have used 127 at 1/96th and am happy with that and then something like Humbrio 27 for decks.

Bear in mind that the stuff is mixed in big drums when used at 1:1 and so the shade can even vary along the hull and certainly between ships. In practical terms, if it looks right to you then go for it!

I can so attest. I was fascinated when, at the launch of HMS Defender, one could discern where the various blocks went together by slight variations in the basic colour, the sort of thing you wouldn`t notice at two miles, but noticeable at near touching distance.

  

On ‎04‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 2:21 PM, bootneck said:

I would like to ask a similar question in reference to modern RN colours.   I have a couple of 1:350 modern vessels on the go and would like to know which are the best Acrylics to use for them?  I'd be grateful if someone could also advise me of the part numbers for these colours, as well as the brands please.  I mostly use Vallejo acrylics but they are Air colours.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Mike

Bumping this, as this would be really good info to have. Most matches that I`m aware of are enamels so an acrylic match would be good to have, thanks.

 

Cheers, Ian

[4scourge7]

Further to the above, I`ve been told that Tamiya rattle can grey primer is a close approximation, and it`s acrylic.

 

Mike, I`ve tried it on a 350th Type 45 and it`s close...it`s real close.

But I just can`t make up my mind if it`s close enough.

 

The BM community`s opinion would be invaluable, along with any other suggestions on acrylic matches. 

 

Cheers, Ian

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

This may be a daft question, but why does the word "acrylic" mean so much to people that inflammable and toxic fumes are ok from an aerosol so long as it says acrylic on the can, but a matt enamel the right colour is automatically out just because it says enamel on the tin?

 

I could understand if respiratory issues or concerns over household odour working in a public room with other family members drove one towards water based acrylics, but admit I can't understand the fascination with acrylic binder when everything else in the composition makes it more offensive than an enamel - such as is the case with aerosols.

[Paul E]

2 hours ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

This may be a daft question, but why does the word "acrylic" mean so much to people that inflammable and toxic fumes are ok from an aerosol so long as it says acrylic on the can, but a matt enamel the right colour is automatically out just because it says enamel on the tin?

 

I could understand if respiratory issues or concerns over household odour working in a public room with other family members drove one towards water based acrylics, but admit I can't understand the fascination with acrylic binder when everything else in the composition makes it more offensive than an enamel - such as is the case with aerosols.

 

Jamie,

For me the issue between acrylic and enamel is the ease by which I can clean my airbrush and the drying time. I use both enamel and acrylic for my models and acrylic is the easiest to use. That is not saying acrylic paint is perfect because it is not. I find it chips too easily when handling the model where enamel is far more hard wearing.

 

One of the joys of the Vallejo acrylics is that they manufacture airbrush ready paints which do not need thinning. This is something I personally find difficult to get right and I end getting frustrated when my airbrush gets clogged. The other thing that works in the favour of Vallejo acrylic paints is the method by which it is dispensed from its container  which allows a degree of precision and cleanliness which is not so easily achieved when extracting paint from a tin.

 

This is not a criticism of your paint range, far from it. It is an observation of the factors that I, as a general consumer consider when purchasing paints for my models.

 

Best regards

Paul.

     

[Francis Macnaughton]

13 hours ago, ian buick said:

Further to the above, I`ve been told that Tamiya rattle can grey primer is a close approximation, and it`s acrylic.

 

To my eye the Tamiya primer is quite a bit too dark - nearer Humbrol 64.   I would suggest Tamiya AS16 is a better match to RN light grey but not sure if that one is actually acrylic.

 

Re the bit above about acrylic vs enamel, for me the issue is whether the paint used passes the SWMBO smell test.  If it doesn't I'm usually banished to the garage!

[4scourge7]

2 hours ago, Francis Macnaughton said:

 

To my eye the Tamiya primer is quite a bit too dark - nearer Humbrol 64.   I would suggest Tamiya AS16 is a better match to RN light grey but not sure if that one is actually acrylic.

Interesting Francis, thank you.

 

So I may have stumbled onto the answer with your assistance: use Tamiya primer grey, as intended by the manufacturer, as an undercoat, then final coats with Tamiya AS16.

Variations in coverage of the light grey over the darker primer may add a bit of depth, a bit of `well-worn` effect . 

I`ll give this a try when I get some AS16 and report back.

 

Thanks again Francis.

 

Cheers, Ian

[junglierating]

I seem to remember M13 and M2.....if you remember that ...well it dates you

[Seahawk]

17 hours ago, junglierating said:

I seem to remember M13 and M2.....if you remember that ...well it dates you

Yes, life was so much simpler in those days.