HMS Hood paint scheme

[laj...@rmci.net]

Hi, people!
Does anybody out there know what paint scheme the HMS Hood was sporting
when she was blown up by the Bismarck? I have the "Man O' War #6 - Hood"
from Arms And Armour Press, but it doesn't give any information on colors
or schemes.
Also, during her last refit, the Hood's top foremast was removed and a
radar installed. Is there a good photo or drawing of this radar setup
available?
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
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[Crystal and Allan Plumb]

laj...@rmci.net wrote:
> Hi, people!
> Does anybody out there know what paint scheme the HMS Hood was sporting

> when she was blown up by the Bismarck? [...]

> Also, during her last refit, the Hood's top foremast was removed and a
> radar installed. Is there a good photo or drawing of this radar setup
> available?

"British Battleships of World War Two" by Raven and Roberts says
that from late 1940, Hood was in "overall medium grey, remained in this
colour until she was sunk".

P196-197 has a drawing of the outboard profile in April/May 1941; the
type 284 radar is shown.

HTH.

-- Allan Plumb (pl...@phoenix.net)

[Rich K.]

laj...@rmci.net wrote:
>
> Hi, people!
> Does anybody out there know what paint scheme the HMS Hood was sporting

> when she was blown up by the Bismarck? I have the "Man O' War #6 - Hood"
> from Arms And Armour Press, but it doesn't give any information on colors
> or schemes.

> Also, during her last refit, the Hood's top foremast was removed and a
> radar installed. Is there a good photo or drawing of this radar setup
> available?

> Thanks in advance for any assistance!
> -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet

You might want to look for "The Encyclopedia of the World's Warships" by
Hugh Lyon from Salamander/Crescent Books (1978) from either a used book
shop or a good library (I think it's now OOP). On page 38-41 (very
appropriately!) there is a three-page full color fold out showing the
Hood as she appeared during her fight with Bismarck. The hull from deck
level down is a dark gray, upperworks appear to be a medium
gray/blue-gray color, main foredeck and the boat deck from midships aft
are a bleached out looking cream/beige, and the upper deck from midships
forward is the same color as the lower hull. THe foremast is cutdown,
but there is no really good view of radar in either the colorplate or
the two included photos (one of which is from 1920). Hope this helps.
P.s. The book also has a colorplate of the Bismarck.
Rich K.

[Mark Shannon]

laj...@rmci.net wrote:
>
> Hi, people!
> Does anybody out there know what paint scheme the HMS Hood was sporting
> when she was blown up by the Bismarck? I have the "Man O' War #6 - Hood"
> from Arms And Armour Press, but it doesn't give any information on colors
> or schemes.
> Also, during her last refit, the Hood's top foremast was removed and a
> radar installed. Is there a good photo or drawing of this radar setup
> available?
> Thanks in advance for any assistance!
> -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet

My references show an overall medium gray of about 20%refelctance and
fairly neutral gray tone. This color is sometimes referred to as
AP507B, but it appears it is not a truely official color. AP507 A and
AP507C were the very dark Home Fleet gray and Mediterranean gray.
Supposedly the medium gray was reached by a 50-50 mix. In model colors,
I like the look of 1 part flat black in 4 parts flat white for this gray
(I use Humbrols, which gives just a hint of bluish-green to the gray).

It appears that after an initial period in pre-war paint, numerous
semi-official camouflage schemes were tried using standard paints and
new mixtures such as "Mountbatten Pink". By the end of 1940, the Home
Fleet major ships were painting back into overall gray, though lighter
than the pre-war, and by June 1941 the First Admiralty Disruptive
schemes were being introduced (as in the repairs of the H.M.S. Prince of
Wales). During the Bismarck chase, the major ships of the Home Fleet,
the Force 'H' ships, and the H.M.S. Dorsetshire and Norfolk appear to
have been in the medium gray. (Sheffield may have been camouflaged).
Hood's decks would be well-bleached from her years of service, but the
KGV class battleships would have very fresh looking teak decks. Metal
decks were either the dark gray or a gray-green similar to Field Gray.
Ships boats were painted in the pre-war styles, but on some ships
they were given grey hulls. Carley floats were either Trainer Yellow or
painted gray, most B&W pictures showing a contrast between them and the
bulkheads. Rafts and floats seem not to have been painted in camouflage
unless the ship was in a patterned type.

Hope this all helps.
--
This has been Mark and/or Mary Shannon
at Shin...@ix.netcom.com

Remember that every cliche started out as a stroke of genius.

[Mark Shannon]

[mont...@usit.net]

laj...@rmci.net wrote:

>Hi, people!

>Also, during her last refit, the Hood's top foremast was removed and a
>radar installed. Is there a good photo or drawing of this radar setup
>available?

According to "Anatomy of the Ship: HOOD", the foremast stayed in
place, and a Type 279 radar was partially fitted (transmit only, no
receive) and was inoperable. She also had a Type 284 radar installed
on the Foretop director.

REDBOZO6 sends

"No doubt about it, I've got to get another hat!"
Bullwinkle J. Moose