Victory paint finish

[EinsteinTaylor]

This forum seems to be such a wealth of information on the Victory that I thought I would ask this here as well.  I have painted the inner bulwarks on the upper gundeck in Yellow Ochre from the Cornwall paint set.  I am very happy with the color but it has a very very matte finish.  I have a bottle of Testors semi-gloss clear coat that I am considering painting over with to give just a touch of shine to it but thought I would check with you guys that have seen the real thing up close or know her better than I do.

 

Is the finish truly a flat matte or would a semi-gloss finish be appropriate?

 

Thanks in advance!

[jwvolz]

From my photos onboard Victory, the paint is clearly semi-gloss. That being said, scale effect would say to paint it matte, but I think you will be fine with one coat of semi-gloss. 

[mtaylor]

I might be wrong, but back then when she was sailing, I doubt that they had gloss or semi-gloss paint.  Varnish maybe....

[EinsteinTaylor]

Thanks for the info Joe. I put one coat on. Turns out it's Model Master and not testors but it really took that yellow ochre up a notch and I'm very pleased with the effect.

[Canute]

Model Master paints are made by Testors. They are more military a/c or armo(u)r related. Come in both enamel and acrylic, although the acrylics have a more limited selection.

You'll see many paints with FS numbers. These are Federal Spec numbers, used in the US post WWII. If it's a 3XXXX, it's flat. If its a 1XXXX, it's a gloss. Don't think anybody makes satin finish paints in the FS2XXXX line.

HTH

[EinsteinTaylor]

Interesting stuff Canute!  This is just a clear semi-gloss.  Goes on looking a bit like watered down milk but dries nice and clear and leaves a great finish.  Really made the Yellow Ochre pop.

[Canute]

What was on the label? Model Master/Testors makes a gloss and a flat; guess a satin coat from them makes sense.

 

For most models, use a clear gloss (Gloss coat, Pledge with Future, Klear) for a coating under decals. Smooth surface avoids silvering of the decals. Everything gets some amount of weathering, so a satin or flat final coat looks best.

[Izzy Madd]

This forum seems to be such a wealth of information on the Victory that I thought I would ask this here as well.  I have painted the inner bulwarks on the upper gundeck in Yellow Ochre from the Cornwall paint set.  I am very happy with the color but it has a very very matte finish.  I have a bottle of Testors semi-gloss clear coat that I am considering painting over with to give just a touch of shine to it but thought I would check with you guys that have seen the real thing up close or know her better than I do.

 

Is the finish truly a flat matte or would a semi-gloss finish be appropriate?

 

Thanks in advance!

This is from a restorers point of view. You need to remember that gloss paints were enormously expensive and only used where vital such as the out side. Inside they would have used a milk paint in all probability which was mixed on the day and used on the day. It gave a flat mat finish just like white wash. And rubbed of as much. Sometimes people would clear wax over it to stop it rubbing of. Think of a gunner in white clothes leaning on a yellow wall sweat and heat would be a sure sign he'd been lolling about. And a sure way to get flogged. So if you must shine the inside do so with a soft shine. And even use beeswax. If you go to your local beekeeper. Look on line for one. And I get mine a kilo for £4 mixed with pure turpentine or just warmed in hot water then paint it on as you would varnish. Leave over night then buff to a great shine. And it's still possible to add details like grime by using mineral oil(baby oil) and a powder based paint. The oil softens the wax and the paint sinks in. If you don't like it just scarpe the wax off. And try again

 

Hope this helps.

 

Izzy