Calling all HMS Ark Royal (WW2) fans

[iangazeley]

How about this one, from a pilot's album I own?



Seems to show two-tone midships to me.

And from the national markings on the Swordfish, taken before October 1940 for sure

[EJFoeth]

That would change matters indeed!

[Sutho]

I hope this works:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205185500

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205140450

IWM allows you to zoom in. It had to be in the middle of a paint job. Looks like a darker shade of grey was being painted on and the island was also a darker grey. You can clearly see lines and patches where the paint is being applied in various sections.

[iangazeley]

Notice the difference in Ark Royal between the photo I posted and the first IWM photo. The latter shows the port midship pom poms in place (the one I posted does not) and in the IWM photo the rear of the island has a solid vertical panel at deck level, whereas in the photo I posted it is still open (I believe altered at Liverpool in October 1940). So on the basis of these photos, it would seem that Ark Royal carried a two tone hull scheme during two periods: in November 1941 and also sometime between June and October 1940.

[MatthewB]

I hope this works:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205185500

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205140450

IWM allows you to zoom in. It had to be in the middle of a paint job. Looks like a darker shade of grey was being painted on and the island was also a darker grey. You can clearly see lines and patches where the paint is being applied in various sections.

What is that white blob to the right of the Destroyer in the second photo?

It looks like an explosion just to the aft of the Destroyer.

MB

[Sutho]

I hope this works:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205185500

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205140450

IWM allows you to zoom in. It had to be in the middle of a paint job. Looks like a darker shade of grey was being painted on and the island was also a darker grey. You can clearly see lines and patches where the paint is being applied in various sections.

What is that white blob to the right of the Destroyer in the second photo?

It looks like an explosion just to the aft of the Destroyer.

MB

Probably an aircraft dropping a depth charge hunting for the U-Boat that torpedoed the Ark Royal.

[PaulC]

Hi folks,

Not sure if this has been noticed (if it has, my apologies) but the island in the "two colour" photos is the same darker colour as the lower hull. If the appearance was shadow-generated this would not be so.

Looking at the history of the ship being based at Scapa Flow and also in Gibraltar there two locations it would have been possibly painted differently. The big question that arises now is when and where was the ship painted and for how long.

The ship's chronology states she was at Gibraltar undergoing "self maintenance" during the week or so prior to leaving on her last mission. I suspect the Ark was indeed having a paint job done during that week. It may not have been completed before she sailed.

She was at sea for 3 days before being torpedoed, mainly steaming at a very modest speed because of some heavy weather, so maybe that explains the lack of wear on the lower hull??

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono ... 0Royal.htm

Paul

[SovereignHobbies]

How about this one, from a pilot's album I own?



Seems to show two-tone midships to me.

And from the national markings on the Swordfish, taken before October 1940 for sure

Indeed that changes much! Thank you for posting!

[Jack G]

Thank you Ian for the wonderful photo.

In both that pic and the first IWM linked pic, I can see the darker colour being painted above the forward knuckle. That rules out shading.

So what we seem to have is an original lighter grey (507C?) being painted over with a darker grey (507A?) which is continually weathering off to reveal the lighter colour, and the ship's crew repainting nearer the waterline and island as they get the chance in the darker colour.

Can I confirm the darker grey on the lower hull is 507A? Any chance it could be 507B?

[Admiral John Byng]

Perhaps the lighter grey was hurriedly painted over the Home Fleet dark grey (leaving the lower hull in the darker colour as per HMS Legion in the photos) and it has weathered badly, revealing the Home Fleet scheme underneath?

[SovereignHobbies]

Thank you Ian for the wonderful photo.

In both that pic and the first IWM linked pic, I can see the darker colour being painted above the forward knuckle. That rules out shading.

So what we seem to have is an original lighter grey (507C?) being painted over with a darker grey (507A?) which is continually weathering off to reveal the lighter colour, and the ship's crew repainting nearer the waterline and island as they get the chance in the darker colour.

Can I confirm the darker grey on the lower hull is 507A? Any chance it could be 507B?

507A = 507B in colour and by this time enamel use had been ordered discontinued for about a year so it's highly unlikely to have been the 507B formulation of Home Fleet Grey.

Given how light the book topping and flight deck appear in this image, I'd still plump for 507C and 507A here.

[Jack G]

Thank you James, that is what I will do on my 1/700 model and if all goes well, the 1/350. Modelling that level of weathering is going to be interesting.

[MagisterMan]

Hello guys!
I'm now building a model of HMS Ark Royal (the one by Merit in 1/350).
The questions are:
1. How can I improve this kit in order to achieve smth really close to what did she look like during the chase of Bismark?
2. Does anybody know, of what types of planes and of what squadrons (numbers, possibly) did Ark's airwing consist at that time (May 26, 1941)?

[Tracy White]

smth

??

[tjstoneman]

ARK's squadrons during the BISMARCK chase were 810, 818 and 820 (Swordfish) and 808 (Fulmar).

[Timmy C]

smth

??

Something.

[Tracy White]

Something.

Thanks. Not hip to the lingo the cool kids use these days.

[rayb]

New user one here, i want to build Ark Royal in a diorama at the time of her sinking in 1/700. I was thinking of HMS Legion alongside and the Ark Royal listing. There seems to be the Aoshima and Trumpeter models, which look to be nice models but waterline only and with the images i have seen would not work so well. However I�ve seen rumours of a new Trumpeter model that would be full hull. Is this just a rumour or has anyone heard if Trumpeter are doing this...
Ray

[Captain Morgan]

New user one here, i want to build Ark Royal in a diorama at the time of her sinking in 1/700. I was thinking of HMS Legion alongside and the Ark Royal listing. There seems to be the Aoshima and Trumpeter models, which look to be nice models but waterline only and with the images i have seen would not work so well. However I�ve seen rumours of a new Trumpeter model that would be full hull. Is this just a rumour or has anyone heard if Trumpeter are doing this...
Ray

Not sure if Trumpeter is going to make a full hull, but I have the Trumpeter and Aoshima kits, I like the Trumpeter more. It�s quarterdeck and foredeck are open and the quarterdeck bulkheads are nice, so if you�re building the listing Ark Royal they are more visible. The list isn�t so severe that a full full is required.you can use sheet plastic strip and follow the hull line. The hull is showing in the photos isn�t curved too much. Unless of course you�re building her as she�s capsizing.

[Richard OMalley]

Can anyone tell me what the max Beam was for HMS Ark Royal at the water line ?