| Availability:
Floating Drydock and Pacific Front
Price: $10.95 |
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This book is a “must have”
for modelers of United States Navy WW2 warships. Though only 56 pages, it is crammed with
useful data, pictures, pattern drawings and explanations. It is unlikely that you will
find a more useful USN camouflage reference. 
Based on official pattern designs and instructions, the book is organized
chronologically. This is important because camouflage painting changed as the war
progressed. Schemes designed to provide surface concealment gave way to patterns that made
ships less visible to aerial attackers. The periodic BuShips paint directives issued
during WW2 are clearly explained.
There are 12 pages of pattern designs and 47 b & w photos.
Submarines are also covered and there is a lucid discussion of color concepts
(“hue”, “chroma” etc.) as well as paint mixing. Unfortunately there is
no reference to currently available model paints, though the books instructions will
enable you to mix your own. Polly Scale’s line of acrylics now has most of the
commonly used USN colors mentioned in this volume, so “growing your own” is no
longer essential. The book also lacks a color chip card. This is available separately from
both Pacific Front and Floating Drydock.
Those of you interested in aircraft carrier paint schemes should
obtain volume 2 in this series, reviewed by Jeff Herne elsewhere on this site. In
summary, this book is highly recommended to modelers of WW2 USN
ships. |