True IJN Akagi Flight Deck Color?

[NavyJoe18]

I have started a 1/700 model kit of the IJN Akagi aircraft carrier. The kit calls for Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan but this seems too light. I welcome advice on color please. Thanks!

 

[the Baron]

I've only seen black and white photos of the Akagi; the flight deck's wood decking looks very light in those pictures. Close to what the US Navy's teak decking looked like in the pre-war finish, before we started applying the camouflage measures. I think Tamiya's Deck Tan is pretty close, but that's just my eye.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Deck Tan is about right. Doesn't hurt a bit of Tamiya Brown Panel Liner to help weather it as a wartime carrier.

 

[blakeh1]

Just seeing this now

From what I remember reading, the flight deck was bare wood (probably with some kind of clear sealant) so basically your looking for the general color of lumber for something newer, and then a bit greyer as it gets older.

I think the Deck Tan is a good starting point and then weather from there as we discussed in the other thread

Not sure of the source for this picture (I believe it has been colorized rather than a true color photo),
but I think it gives a good representation of what it might have looked like.
I may have to go back and added some more grime to the deck on mine



and I am pretty cure this was the original picture

 

[blakeh1]

and this shot supposedly from a plane that had just taken off sometime around 1942 (before it had the red sun painting on the deck during the battle of Midway)

Again, this most likely a touched up post colorized photo

 

[plastickjunkie]

Tamiya deck tan is good. Let it cure a couple of days then give it an artist oil burnt umber wash to darken and pop the grain and recessed details

 

[NavyJoe18]

View attachment 116045View attachment 116046View attachment 116047Tamiya deck tan is good. Let it cure a couple of days then give it an artist oil burnt umber wash to darken and pop the grain and recessed details

Thanks, Can you tell me the brand that you use for the artist oil burnt...

 

[plastickjunkie]

Thanks, Can you tell me the brand that you use for the artist oil burnt...

Hobby Lobby is my go to place for these things. I used raw umber but burnt umber will also work.

 

[NavyJoe18]

Hobby Lobby is my go to place for these things. I used raw umber but burnt umber will also work.

View attachment 116048

Awesome! Thanks

 

[plastickjunkie]

Awesome! Thanks

 

[NavyJoe18]

View attachment 116045View attachment 116046View attachment 116047Tamiya deck tan is good. Let it cure a couple of days then give it an artist oil burnt umber wash to darken and pop the grain and recessed details

Is that Murata's Type 97 Kate?

 

[plastickjunkie]

I believe so. It's an old 1/48 Nichimo kit with many scratch built details.

 

[blakeh1]

for reference regarding burnt umber vs raw umber


Also something for consideration if using oils is you need a thinner/cleaner. I would suggest Weber's Odorless Turpenoid. I have found that to be the mildest as far as reactions to Tamiya paints or certain types of plastics (like Bandai's) vs some of the harsher turpentines/mineral spirits

In addition you may even consider Artisan oils (Windsor Newton makes them and you can find them the same places you find regular oils).
The difference is you can get away using water in place or turpentine or similar. Although you can still use things like the Weber Odorless Turpenoid if you need a bit more help in cleaning away a sludge wash

 

[NavyJoe18]

for reference regarding burnt umber vs raw umber
View attachment 116055

Also something for consideration if using oils is you need a thinner/cleaner. I would suggest Weber's Odorless Turpenoid. I have found that to be the mildest as far as reactions to Tamiya paints or certain types of plastics (like Bandai's) vs some of the harsher turpentines/mineral spirits

In addition you may even consider Artisan oils (Windsor Newton makes them and you can find them the same places you find regular oils).
The difference is you can get away using water in place or turpentine or similar. Although you can still use things like the Weber Odorless Turpenoid if you need a bit more help in cleaning away a sludge wash

Thank you very much for the detailed information. Big help.

 

[the Baron]

Burnt and raw sienna and umber are good general wash colors. If you have a plane, or an piece of armor, with a figure or two, for example, and you're not confident in your figure-painting abilities, you can lay in your basic colors, then use a burnt umber or burnt sienna wash to pick out the details. Especially with 1/48 scale or smaller, and especially for faces, you can get a decent result that way.
I use water-based acrylics, craft store brands, for washes like these.