The Ship Model Forum

I'm building the Starling Models 1/350 Algerine class minesweeper as HMCS Kapuskasing (J326) which was commissioned in August 1944 and I don't know the deck colour. It was built in Canada hence the colours used on RN ships may or may not apply. I'm doing it as built and the pattern and perhaps the colours are identical to HMCS Border Cities are identical as attached. I do not have a digital picture of Kapuskasing but have Macpherson's Minesweepers of the RCN book which has a nice picture in my chosen markings.

To get to my question, my choices include RN options Semtex early (light brown/beige (mid war)) or Semtex late (green (later in the war) as documented in Starling's instructions for this ship, were these commonly used on ships built in Canada?

My past experience with Canadian built RCN corvettes points the way to darker grays such as MS4 as the deck colour.

For the record, I'm selecting from 507a, 507a or off white, and MS3 for the verticals which is one of the options provided in the Starling kit and is similar in pattern to Kapuskasing. For the deck it used Semtex early.

Thank you

George

George,

I have the impression that this is a genuine colour image of Kapuskasing from the Canadian archives. Maybe someone can confirm? If so, in addition to showing some deck colouring I think it shows a light grey camouflage paint (rather than white). My suggestion is Canadian MS4A.

As always Dick, thank you very much!

Yes, that grey looks right, al least I have used that shade before on Canadian built or refitted ships so I will move in that direction for Kapuskasing.

Thank you again.

George

Yes, that is an authentic RCN colour photo.

Notice that the bow deck has a lighter grey than the gun deck. I also think there is some texture to the gun deck, indicating it is non skid coating of some kind. What kind, I do not know.

However, you can see there is something similar in texture and colour on algonquins deck forming a walkway, although, it has a bit of dark brown tinge to it here. Either photo could be colour shifted slightly, making it impossible to determine exact colours.

_________________
Darren (Admiral Hawk)
In the not so tropical climate of the Great White North.

Thanks Darren

I'm looking at the Algonquin picture, I did Algonquin based on the Atlantic "V" Class and that is taken adjacent to the 40mm anti-aircraft gun and the Atlantic instructions specified semtex (beige) for the walkway path and as a UK built ship I did Algonquin as such. I notice the greenish tinge there too and the semtex areas could have been painted over.

I have been looking at BW photos in my reference books and Internet and have some differences in shades too. I wonder if the bow has faded because of more exposure to sunlight but then there are areas where there is more traffic, hence more wear and tear therefore dis-coloured areas perhaps darker or lighter.

I just noticed the life raft in Dick's Kaspuskasing picture, it is not included in the model (obviously UK built ships) so that is something I can add. The MacPherson picture also has it there which I over looked before.

Thanks again

George

Thank you Darren for confirming re the photo.

George,

My hunch is that the deck area up by the bow is a non-skid deck paint in Canadian colour 1-GP-12 No. 31 (BS381C No. 31 Light Battleship grey in UK parlance). On RN ships that area was not Semtex’d.

With the caveats that all our respective eyes may perceive colour slightly differently, and that the colour in period colour photos may not be true for a variety of well-rehearsed reasons, I too see the colour of the latex non-slip deck covering (probably Semtex) in the Algonquin photo as (mossy) greenish (eg in the dry patch below the sailor's feet). Semtex was not supposed to be over-painted.

Algonquin was constructed in the UK where Semtex was available. Kapuskasing was constructed in Canada where Semtex was very scarce. I think she commissioned 17th August 1944. To quote from a Canadian Naval Order (No. 3876, para 6) of that time:

“The scarcity of latex deck coverings…..restricts their use to a minimum and they can now only be adopted for specific applications. In lieu of latex compositions on weather decks non-latex non-skid deck coverings (Type A of specification N119) are to be used. Around gun platforms, on bridges and on signal decks and where there is heavy traffic these are to be laid 3/16” thick.”

I have no idea what this substitute was. It seems that there were three potential suppliers of Spec N119, Type A deck coverings and the companies named in this extract may give someone a clue. Whatever it was I suspect that it came in the grey we see on the deck around the gun in the colour photo of Kapuskasing.

Thanks Dick, seems to add up.

I do see a hint of green along with the brown, but it's just too difficult to determine an exact colour with this photo. Where it's wet, it looks just grey. Personally, I think a dark brown base with a dark green wash followed by a dark grey or black wash might give a nice effect. Will have to play a bit.

_________________
Darren (Admiral Hawk)
In the not so tropical climate of the Great White North.

Thank you Dick & Darren
I will print this thread and keep it for reference. It provides the rational for keeping things basic when dealing with RCN ships in this area so I will stay with MS4A which I have past experience. Darren, I wonder if the dark brown is corticene.

Thank you again

George