Paint Scheme for November Class Submarine Query

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, i Recently Bought a Flagman Model of the November class Submarine and Am Planning to Maybe go Gerry Anderson with it! What Would be a Good color Scheme for a November? I'm Considering Either making a World Navy or Even a WASP Long Range Patrol sub. Which would be a Good Choice? the Scale is 1/350. What Say You? thanks For Looking. Dan

[Hobbes]

Pretty much all submarines are black, but you could try dark blue or dark green to provide less contrast when surfaced.

[Cobra]

Think a Color like Anthracite Gray would Work? it almost Looks Black, but i may add some Dark blue to the Conning tower, to make it Harder to Spot on the Surface.Thanks for the Recommendations. Dan

[Hobbes]

Yes, anthracite would be a good color.

[sandiego89]

Yes, anthracite would be a good color.

I second that, I have used very dark gray/anthracite for quite a few 1/700 submarines. Regular flat black is too dark, and gloss is just wrong.

Perhaps a splinter scheme if you want it camoflaged for surface ops.  A cammo of blues, grays, white, black would be very interesting over a stock NOVEMBER.  Great for Arctic.  I always liked the splinter scheme of the "U-boat" in the movie Murphy's War.  A november would look great in that.  

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gaToUHyGais/UVpTCVreVMI/AAAAAAAACqg/Qzy1n08PNpM/s1600/MW9.jpg  

[Dizzyfugu]

Some Chinese nuclear subs had a rather bright blue upper hull, with a red lower hull - looks odd, if not goofy! 

If you apply some sort of cammo scheme, it would IMHO only make sense when you build a good mission story around it. Some arctic surveillance or supply for spy planes around the North Pole might justify some snow scheme? Otherwise, releasing special ops near some coastline can also be an attractive reason - the UK camouflaged at least one submarine for that task in order to be hidden in front of the Iraqi coastline during the Gulf Conflict, and if you take Norwegian Skjold Class coastal ships as reference there's plenty of room for interesting upper hull schemes.

[Rheged]

I think that Royal Navy submarines were camouflaged for close inshore  work during the Indonesian Confrontation, Falklands etc. Perhaps there's further room for investigation there......

[martinbayer]

If you're thinking Gerry Anderson, why not use the UFO SkyDiver colour scheme as an inspiration?

Martin

[TallEng]

Or you could do a version of the Stingray's colour scheme.
It would look good with some blue and yellow over silver, especially
If you weathered it as well
I look forward to seeing the finished Sub.

Regards
Keith

[Weaver]

Well if you're going Gerry Anderson, remember that the primary objective was for the sub to be visible on screen (filmed through a fish tank, remember), so I'd stay away from cammo schemes and go for something like the other models from the various series. It might be worth looking at car spray paints: they were often used in the series, and you can get some very interesting subtle metallic shades like the ones used on Skydiver or the SHADO mobiles. Combine that with a contrasting go-faster stripe and some big lettering (so the audience know who's who) and you'd be Very Gerry......

[Cobra]

Thanks for That,Weaver. i just opened the Box to check the Model and Found it's Molded in Black! Think it might work to use Primer before i Try to Paint it? i was Considering Maybe Anthracire Gray on the Bottom and go with British Green on the Top with a Big W for WASP on the Conning Tower! Dan

[zenrat]

Stuck in my head i've got a Foss (I think) book cover painting of a sub shaped space ship in black/yellow splinter pattern.

Goggling Chris Foss shows he was keen on yellow & black.  I couldn't find the one I was thinking of but how about these for inspiration?

[Weaver]

Thanks for That,Weaver. i just opened the Box to check the Model and Found it's Molded in Black! Think it might work to use Primer before i Try to Paint it? i was Considering Maybe Anthracire Gray on the Bottom and go with British Green on the Top with a Big W for WASP on the Conning Tower! Dan

Well you should always undercoat anyway to make sure the paint sticks. Rattle can grey primer should cover the black perfectly well and form a good basis for both the grey and the green. You could maybe have a thin go-faster stripe separating the green and grey and maybe also a few other stripes and/or panels that emphasise the sub's shape.