H.M.S. Hood Today - Scale Models & Miniatures of Hood
Paint Schemes of H.M.S. Hood, 1920-1941
Updated 04-May-2010

One of the most common questions we are asked is "what colour was H.M.S. Hood?". This article endeavours to answer that question. It is intended to assist modellers, artists and animators in preparing accurate renditions of Hood. The following information is based on the research of many people, most notably that of Mr Dave Weldon of the H.M.S. Hood Association. Dave is a true expert on the subject, having spent most of his life researching the ship. We are also deeply indebted to the colour/camouflage works of Alan Raven and the research of Dr. Bruce Taylor. Lastly, a special thanks to the veterans for their recollections as well as the owners of well-known and private photo and film collections, both monochrome and colour, for the contributions their holdings were able to impart.

Getting Started
Hood wore derivatives of three very basic paint shades/schemes during her 21 year career. Her colour depended on her assignments, locations, etc. Therefore, before you can paint your model or colour your artwork, you first need to determine "when" you are modeling the ship. Specifically, what time frame, configuration or specific event is the model is to represent? Once you know this, simply locate the desired time range/period in the list below, then click on the applicable colour (in blue). This will display the various specifics for the shade/scheme worn during that time period.

Important Things to Remember
We advise modellers and artists to follow only these instructions if they wish to avoid some of the most common mistakes. With this in mind, we ask you to pay heed to or at least be aware of the following:

1. Please do not rely upon kit painting instructions, photos of completed models or paintings/artwork. One can never be sure of the level of research conducted, or, the degree of accuracy imparted into the final product. This even applies to the models and paintings we feature on our own website- these items aren't displayed necessarily because of accuracy, but simply because they depict Hood. Our goal is not to judge people's work, but to encourage modelling and creation of artwork of Hood.

2. Please do not "guesstimate" colours from old photos. This is because there are factors which can sometimes make film unreliable: Some old black and white film stocks varied in the amount of blue or red light wavelength absorption. This, combined with the reflective/absorption properties of the paint, weather/environment and of course the camera's settings could result in a "paint job" looking lighter or darker than it really was. It should also be noted that the actual shades of the actual paints tended to vary. This was due to factors such as weathering (fading, sea spray/corrosion damage), paint patching/coating and mixing errors. This could also affect a paint's appearance in old photos.

3. Not all areas of Hood are well documented. It is nearly impossible, even for us, to correctly identify the exact colour of every object on the ship. If we are not 100% certain of something, we will let you know in the text below. This will give you, the modeller/artist, the freedom of using some "artistic license" here and there. Of course, having said that, its YOUR model, so feel free to paint how you wish. If you want to be accurate, then please read on.

Colour Scheme Specifics

I. AP507A – Home Fleet Dark Grey

AP507A was the standard colour of warships of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet during the inter war years. It was very dark grey in colour with a hint of bluish-purple (see grey box to the left for a rough approximation of this colour). The hull, superstructure and guns were painted in this shade. An interesting colour, due to it's reflective properties, it often makes the ship appear lighter than it actually was in many old photos. Hood wore this colour for most of her career, to include the Empire Cruise of 1924 and her time with Force H in 1940.
Suggested paint match: White Ensign Models Colourcoats RN 01.

• Wooden Decks: Unpainted teak (medium shade - a cross between honey and tan). Very clean decks due to frequent holystoning - to quote some veterans, the decks were "clean enough to eat off of." Some metal deck fittings would be hull colour, but others, such as bollards, would be black.

• Bridge Decks: These decks were covered in corticene, a type of linoleum of a brown hue (some claims vary from a "chocolate milk" brown to even a reddish-brown hue). The corticene was applied in approximately 3ft /1m wide segments which were glued to the deck and held in place by brass strips. Hood definitely had this arrangement for most of, if not her entire career. A good colour match for fresh corticene would be White Ensign Models Colourcoats RN 24 mixed with some light grey. There is no indication that the corticene was ever replaced. Colour footage shot in 1939/1940 would suggest that it was still in place during the Second World War (and that it tended to appear more "chocolate milk" brown in colour).

• Forward and outer portions (unplanked) Shelter Deck/Boat Deck: Experts are of the opinion that this area was painted metal. The colour was AP507A. Personal accounts of crew, indicate that this may not always have been the case- Segments/key areas near guns may have been partially covered in corticene or in some form of temporary matting (as required). The use of corticene here is unlikely and not supported by known photos or documentation. It is however, possible that matting was used on an as-needed basis. It's also highly possible that much of the unplanked portions of the Shelter Deck were coated with "semtex" (a rough textured non-slip deck coating) by the time of the Second World War. The exact extent of semtex usage is currently not known, but it is verified as being used in certain areas (near gun emplacements) starting in December 1937. It is highly likely that it was ultimately used elsewhere on the Shelter Deck. Semtex started as a creme colour, but soon became a dingy brown or grey. It may also have been painted (this seems most likely).

• Foremast: Lower portion of the tripod was hull colour (as was the actual Spotting Top itself). The upper portion of the foremast (starting from a point level with the Torpedo Lookout/Searchlight Manipulating Platform and including the underside of the starfish) was often black. This did vary from time to time however. For example, during the Empire Cruise of 1923-1924, this area was not painted black, but was left in AP507A. The fore topmast (above the Spotting Top) was usually painted white or AP507C (Mediterranean Fleet Light Grey).

• Mainmast: This was usually black from top of starfish extending down to the point where the three legs of the tripod base met (level with the funnel tops). This area also had a white stripe which encircled it at times. Mast tops (starting from where the masts rose up from the starfish) were painted white to avoid standing out on the horizon.

• After Searchlight Platform (steel): Decks painted AP507C or MS3. Vertical surfaces were hull colour. There were large square windows which surrounded the lower rear walls of this structure. These were usually covered with stiff canvas (also painted hull colour).

• Searchlights: Black or dark grey for most of her time in AP507C.

• Funnels: Hull colour uptakes with very top "flange" and cage in black.

• Guns: Hull colour (turrets and barrels). The ends of the 15" gun barrels were emery polished to a bright silvery sheen. Blast bags were bright white canvas. Other guns were primarily hull colour (with the exception of the gun metal coloured pom pom and machine gun barrels).

• Cranes/booms: Main derrick was definitely hull colour. It would appear that the other derrick booms and various boarding and hoisting booms were unpainted natural wood.

• Ladders: The ladders leading to the Admiral's area just forward of "X" turret, had unpainted wooden hand railings.

• Waterline: Black.

• Below Waterline: Admiralty anti-fouling red lead. This was a medium to dark red. It was not as bright as the red used by the contemporary American or German navies. We suggest something along the line of Floquil Light Tuscan Oxide Red. Also note that this colour would have faded over time and would not have been reapplied as often as topside paint. As a result, unless you are modelling Hood as "freshly painted" you might want to slightly lighten this colour with a bit of grey...not too much of course).

• Boats: For information on life boat colours, see Section IV, "Boats," near the end of this article.

• Special Notes for AP507A:

  1. During World War Two, Hood wore what appears to have been a subdued roundel marking on the centre of "A" gunhouse's roof. This was an aerial recognition marking. It was most likely a blue outer circle with a red circle in the center. It appeared to be somewhat faded.
  2. Support pillars in the enclosed fo'c'sle deck had white centres (see photo).
  3. Stanchions for life rails were white at a point starting above the first cable/bar (see photo). Also, the awning stanchions over the forward and aft ends of the ship were painted white.
  4. Anchor chains appear to have been painted white from time to time (in some photos they are white and in others they are very dark).
  5. The ship's name was polished brass.
  6. Weathering would be minimal as the ship was painted and cleaned routinely when in port. Of course, if modelling the ship during one of her frequent wartime patrols, extra weathering may be an option. Regardless, be sure not to overdo it.

II. AP507C – Mediterranean Fleet Light Grey

This was also known as "Mediterranean Light Grey." As the alternate name suggests, it was the standard colour for Royal Navy ships assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. It was in this colour that H.M.S. Hood looked her absolute best.The hull and superstructure were painted in this shade (see grey strip above for an idea as to what this colour looked like). This was worn only between June 1936 and June 1939.
Suggested paint match: White Ensign Models Colourcoats RN 03.

• Wooden Decks: Unpainted teak, very light and bright at this point of her life (due to over scrubbing and sun bleaching). The yellowish look would have turned to more of a bright tan with slight yellow hints. It was so light that it looked white in the bright Mediterranean sunlight. Still clean enough to eat off of! Some metal deck fittings would be hull colour, but others, such as bollards, would be black.

• Bridge decks: These decks were covered in strips of corticene. The only exception is that there was teak planking briefly used in one or two small deck areas.

• Forward and outer portions (unplanked) of Shelter Deck/Boat Deck: This area was most likely painted metal. Personal accounts of crew, indicate that this may not always have been the case. Segments/key areas near guns may have been partially covered in corticene or in some form of temporary matting (as required). Its unlikely that corticene was used, but quite possible that matting was used periodically. Sources conflict in regard to the colour of this area: They would have been painted AP507A or the grey/green MS3. From mid December 1937 onward, portions of the unplanked decks were coated in semtex. According to the ship's books (ADM136/13, Vol 3), semtex was applied specifically to the "covered working space of 4" H.A. Guns at Stations 161-205 port & starboard". These are the single barreled mounts abreast the funnels.

• Foremast: Lower portion of the tripod was hull colour (as was the actual Spotting Top). The upper portion of the foremast was seen painted in two primary ways - first (1936), it was black starting at a point level with the searchlight manipulating platform and going upward and including the underside of the starfish; second (1937 onwards), it was black starting from a point level with the top of the Air Defence Platform. It was also occasionally just hull colour. More often than not, the upper portion was black though. White or AP507C fore topmast.

• Mainmast: This was usually black from top of starfish extending down to the point where the three legs of the tripod base met (level with funnel tops). There are known instances, however, where the starfish was painted AP507C, albeit briefly. This area often had a white stripe which encircled it. Sometimes it encircled all three legs, sometimes only the aft legs (consult photos of the ship in your preferred timeframe to be certain). Mast tops (starting from where the masts rose up from the starfish) and gaffs were painted white to avoid standing out on the horizon.

• After Searchlight Platform (steel): Decks painted AP507C or MS3. Vertical surfaces were hull colour. There were large square windows which surrounded the lower rear walls of this structure. These were usually covered with stiff canvas (also painted hull colour).

• Searchlights: Black or dark grey for most of her time in AP507C.

• Funnels: Hull colour uptakes with very top "flange" and cage in black.

• Guns: Hull colour (turrets and barrels). The ends of the 15" gun barrels were emery polished to a bright silvery sheen. Blast bags were bright white canvas. Other guns were primarily hull colour (with the exception of the gun metal coloured pom pom and machine gun barrels).

• Cranes/booms: Main derrick was definitely hull colour. It would appear that the other derrick booms and various boarding and hoisting booms were unpainted natural wood.

• Ladders: The ladders leading to the Admiral's area just forward of "X" turret, had unpainted wooden hand railings.

• Waterline: Black.

• Below Waterline: Admiralty anti-fouling red. This was a medium to dark red. It was not as bright as the red used by the contemporary American or German navies. We suggest something along the line of Floquil Light Tuscan Oxide Red. Also note that this colour would have faded over time and would not have been reapplied as often as topside paint. As a result, unless you are modelling Hood as "freshly painted" you might want to slightly lighten this colour with a bit of grey...not too much of course).

• Boats: For information on life boat colours, see Section IV, "Boats," near the end of this article.

• Special Notes for AP507C:

  1. During Hood's involvement in the Spanish Civil War, she wore two markings on the roofs of her two forward 15" gun houses:

  • "A" Gun house- Hood wore a dark coloured circle and line on the roof of this gun house. This was either an aerial recognition marking to indicate her flagship status or it served some sort of gunnery purpose. The exact purpose is unknown. The line emanated from the rear of the circle and passed across the top of the gun house director "wing" just a bit left of the centreline. The colour of the circle and line is unknown. She wore this marking throughout her time with the Mediterranean Fleet.
  • "B" Gun house- Hood wore (from front to rear) red, white & blue stripes across the roof of this gun house. The exact colour sequence has been a point of debate, but crew recollections and other documentation would indicate that the order was indeed (from front to back) red, white then blue.

2. Support pillars in the enclosed fo'c'sle deck had white centres (see photo)
3. Stanchions for life rails were white at a point starting above the first cable/bar (see photo). Also, the awning stanchions over the forward and aft ends of the ship were painted white.
4. Anchor cables appear to have been painted white from time to time (in some photos they are white and in others they are very dark).
5. The ship's name was polished brass.
6. Weathering would be minimal as the ship was painted and cleaned regularly. She was particularly "smart" and shiny at this point in her career. In short, be sure not to overdo the weathering!.

III. AP507B– Home Fleet Medium Grey

This colour was achieved by 50/50 mix of AP507A and AP507C. This mixture created a medium grey with a slight bluish tint (see grey box to the left for an approximation of this colour). This was Hood's final colour, variations of which being worn from approximately mid 1940 until her sinking on 24 May 1941. The last documented painting of the ship took place on 12 May 1941 (per the journal of Midshipman Philip Bucket). It is possible that additional painting took place between then and the time the ship left to engage the Bismarck. This would not be uncommon as the ship's paintwork was frequently cleaned and touched-up during times spent in port. As the log was lost with the ship, there is no way to determine the last day she was painted. There are, fortunately, photos of the ship enroute to engage Bismarck which provide a very good idea as to the state of the paintwork.
Suggested paint match: White Ensign Models Colourcoats RN 02.

• Wooden Decks: Dull, unpainted teak of a medium tan shade. Hood's planked decks were never painted. This is confirmed by photos, recollections of crew, and of course images taken of Hood's wreck. This has also been confirmed through colour films of Hood. The decks appear "muddy" in colour. Note- The decks were duller than earlier in her career...this is mainly because holystoning was done on a less frequent basis. This was due to Hood's busy patrol schedule in her final months. For a close colour, we suggest using a colour such as Floquil Mud, or Old Concrete or perhaps even a lightened Teak stain. Some metal deck fittings would be hull colour, but others, such as bollards, would be black.

• Bridge decks: These decks were likely still covered in corticene. The colour would be dull and faded. Suggest dulling/lightening the corticene colour with a grey colour. Try to approximate the colour of "chocolate milk."

• Forward and outer portions (unplanked) of Shelter Deck/Boat Deck: This area was painted metal or quite possibly coated in a weathered or painted semtex. We've been unable to verify the extent of semtex usage with official records, but photos would indicate that it was widespread. If true, these decks would have been a light creme colour initially, but would have become quite weathered and have had a darkened/dingy appearance in short order. They may have even been painted dark grey (AP507A).

• Foremast: Lower portion of the tripod was hull colour. The upper portion of the foremast (starting from a point level with the top of the air defence platform and funnels and going to the top surface of the starfish) was black. White or AP507C fore topmast (before it was taken down in 1941). The Spotting Top appears to have been a darker grey than the rest of the ship.

Click the following to enlarge:

Above: Unpainted wooden deck


Above: Hood being painted AP507B


Above/Below: Black area of both masts



Above- Note the black areas on main mast,
unpainted wooden decks and
the lighter AP507B colour.

• Mainmast: The main portion of the tripod base was painted hull colour.The place where the three legs of the tripod met up to an including the starfish platform were black. The bottom of this black portion was inline with the tops of the funnels. This area also had a white stripe which encircled the aft two legs. Mast tops (starting from its base aft of where the three tripod legs came together) to include the flag gaffs were painted white to avoid standing out on the horizon.

• After Searchlight Platform (steel): Sides were hull colour. Decks were painted either AP507A or AP507B. There were large square windows which surrounded the lower rear walls of this structure. These were covered with stiff canvas (also painted hull colour). The nearby pom pom bandstand was painted more or less the same.

• Searchlights: These appear to have been more-or-less hull coloured. The decks beneath them appear to have been AP507A.

• Funnels: Hull colour uptakes with very top "flange" and cage in black.

• Guns: Hull colour (turrets and barrels). Note: The ends of the 15" barrels were finally painted over (for camouflage purposes). Blast bags were hull colour, NOT plain canvas or white! Other guns were hull colour (with the exception of the gun metal coloured pom pom and 0.5" machine gun barrels). Exact colour of UP rocket holder/containers is uncertain - the metal mesh was either painted hull colour or left a dull stainless steel shade. The colour footage of Hood shows the UPs to be a bit darker than AP507B and to have a metallic sheen. This is highly suggestive of them being a dull stainless steel colour. The deck of the pom pom bandstand appears to have been painted AP507A. Interestingly, it appears that for a period of time in early 1941 Hood's "A" turret/gunhouse was painted light grey overall, her "B" turret/gun house a dark grey overall, with the rest of the ship being AP507B. This odd variation was not present when the ship fought Bismarck however. At that time, all gun houses/turrets were AP507B.

• Cranes/booms: The main derrick (attached to the main mast) and the booms mounted amidships port & starboard were definitely painted AP507B in colour. There were other booms (located in clusters of 3 on the sides of the forward superstructure) that were indeed plain wood. This has all been proven by the colour wartime footage of Hood from late 1940.

• Ladders: The ladders leading to the Admiral's area just forward of "X" turret, appear to still have had unpainted wooden hand railings.

• Waterline: Black.

• Below Waterline: Admiralty anti-fouling red. This was a medium to dark red. It was not as bright as the red used by the contemporary American or German navies, but not the darker colour used by the Japanese navy. We suggest something along the line of Floquil Light Tuscan Oxide Red. Of course, it had been roughly a year since her last bottom painting...so at the time of her sinking, the red would have been greyed and fading.

• Boats: For information on boat colours, see Section IV, "Boats."

• Special Notes for AP507B:
  1. After being repainted in this shade, Hood continued to wear a subdued roundel atop the roof of "A" gunhouse. It was most likely a blue outer circle with a red circle in the center. It was well faded by the time she sank, but still clearly visible.
  2. White line markings were located on the aft side of each HACS Mk III* director (extending from the sides just aft of the rangefinder arms and going all the way around the rear and reaching as high as half way up the director structure). Click here to see a photo.
  3. Hood was extremely busy and frequently at sea during her last months. Although she was cleaned and painted fairly regularly (the last recorded time being 12 May 1941), her busy schedule still resulted in a certain degree of wear and tear. So, some light weathering (bow wave chipping, soot, rust, salt/spray effects on focsle and forward quarter deck, etc.) would be beneficial. She was by no means filthy or excessively rusty though! So, there is room for some artistic license here, but the key is not to overdo it.
  4. If modelling Hood during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, be sure to use one battle ensign. This was an extremely large version of the white ensign. This was flown from the large lower flag gaff on the mainmast starfish. Note- British ships commonly flew multiple ensigns during battle (a tradition dating from the days of sailing ships). In the case of Hood however, it is reported (by survivor Ted Briggs) that she flew just one ensign.
  5. The ship's name was painted over in a dark grey or possibly black. For scale purposes, we recommend using dark grey.
  6. For a time in early 1941 (we estimate through mid May 1941) Hood's "A" barbette and gunhouse were painted a light grey colour. Her "B" barbette and gunhouse as well as her Spotting Top (the bit above the foremast starfish) were painted a dark grey colour. See the photos immediately below for reference. We are not certain why this was done. It could have been anything from a deliberate but incomplete camouflage attempt or test, mismatched or patchy paint work, bad paint stock or even one or more aborted attempt to paint the ship an entirely different shade. All we know is that this variation is seen in some Spring 1941 photos, but was no longer present when the ship sailed to engage Bismarck. At the time of her sinking, these areas, with the exception of the Spotting Top were the same shade of AP507B as the remainder of the grey areas on the ship. The Spotting Top still appeared to be a darker grey.

Above- Three views of Hood in April and early May 1941- These clearly show an extra light "A" gunhouse and extra dark "B" gunhouse.
Below- 22 May 1941. H.M.S. Hood is en route to her disastrous engagement with Bismarck and Prinz Eugen. Her turrets are now a uniform medium grey.

IV. Boats

Assorted views of boats. Click to enlarge.  
  
  
  

• Sailing boats (42' launch, 36' sailing pinnace, 32' cutter, 30' gig, 27' whaler, 16' dinghy):
  • Hull colour- same as the ship's hull; Interiors- white (area under gratings i.e., bottom sometimes painted dark grey);
  • Cappings and rubbing strakes- bare wood;
  • Masts and yards- varnished wood;
  • Thwarts, pillars and oars- unpainted wood.
  • Note: Oars were always stored in the boats in a forward facing position (blades towards the bow). It is unclear as to if or when canvas covers were used to cover the boats. Some photos show theses boats with canvas covers, some do not. It is likely that they were covered more often than not.
• Steam boats and motor boats (50' steam pinnace, 45' steam pinnace, 45' and 35' Admiral's barges, 45' motor launch, 35' motor boat, 35' fast motor boat, 30' fast motor boat, 25' fast motor boat, 16' motor dinghy):
  • Hull colour- Prior to World War Two, these boats were all painted navy blue with white bottom and white cabins (stained wood and white cabins for the Admiral's barges). Sometime after the start of the war (sometime during 1940 or 1941), the 35 ft fast motor boats retained their white cabins and white bottoms, but had their hulls painted the same colour as the ship's hull. The smaller motor boats as well as the Admiral's barge appear to have remained in the navy blue and white colour scheme.
  • Decks- wood or corticene (colour footage shows a rich colour)
  • Tops of caleins- most likely white
  • Interiors- white and natural wood
  • Rubbing strakes- natural wood.
  • Some of the small motor boats as well as the Admiral's barge were normally canvas covered. The canvas was generally a light colour.

• Rafts: All Carley Floats were definitely grey during the wartime years. Colour wartime footage of Hood has proven this beyond a shadow of a doubt. The shade would be roughly the same as that of the ship's hull/superstructure. The floats appear to have been be roughly hull colour during peacetime years as well. Hood did not carry yellow floats. Hood carried a variety of small flotation devices as well- things such as life rings (white and red) and towards the very end of her career, Denton Floats (colour unknown). The exact placement of these items is not known.

V. Other Considerations

Incorporate "Scale Effect": The colours used on a model or in artwork would not be as concentrated and therefore not as dark as on the full size ship as seen from the same exact distance. Technically, you are viewing the model/artwork "from a distance"- atmospheric effects would cause the model/painting to look a bit lighter than the actual ship would have appeared up close. So, be sure to lighten the darker colours just a tad with white or light grey. Of course, be sure not to overdo and make it too light (which is very easy to do). Use just a tiny bit of the lighter colour and it should work out fine.

A number of firms manufacture paints that are exact or close matches to the shades mentioned here. We realise that some of you would still prefer to "mix your own" though. In such cases, we suggest you purchase the Snyder and Short Enterprises "Royal Navy Paint Chip Set 1" - this accurate reference will allow you to make the best possible match all on your own. It contains all the colours you need for Hood.

Are You Modelling Hood in Port or at Sea?: Depending on "where" your Hood is and "what" she is doing, there may be some slight variations in her configuration. For example, whilst in port, she might be flying a Union Flag from her bow jack staff in addition to her usual complement of ensign(s) and command flag (click here to view some of the flags commonly flown). At sea, the jack would never be flown. Whilst in port she would probably have one or two anchors deployed and/or shackled. At sea, these would be fully retracted (of course). While in port, Hood would have various angled ladders deployed- two forward (abreast the bridge) leading from the fo'c'sle deck up to the shelter deck and four aft (near the ship's name) leading from the quarterdeck up to the enclosed fo'c'sle deck). There may also be boarding ladders positioned along the ship's quarterdeck. It was also common for her large side booms to be swung out in port. At sea these angled ladders would have been dismantled/broken down and stowed. This last part will actually save you a fair bit of work as you would not need to prepare these very prominent ladders. Lastly, depending on "where" your Hood is at anchor, you also have the option of modelling her with her upper main mast retracted (lowered). At sea, this would have been elevated to it's full height.

Happy Modelling! Send us some photos for our Models Gallery please!