"Painting modern subs" Topic

I am getting round to painting my 1:700 Hobby Boss models.

The painting guides for some of the models show red bottom hulls while others have the hulls all black. Online sources do show subs in both paint schemes.

Is there any rationale behind this?

Red bottoms are older stocks of anti-fouling paint.

I think that the black we used was also anti-fouling, but it's been more than a decade since I was on a boat.

Wouldn't this totally depend on the nation and the year?

Back in WW2 nearly all the sub bottoms were red, now they're all black, the transition probably occurred at different times in different places.

This is definitely a case of do-what-you-want. If anyone challenges you just quote some research and bluff your way through. And, really, unless you paint the bottom of the USS Virginia red who is going to bother you?

You guys don't paint them to look like barracudas?

Thanks

Thing is, my Ohio-class boats had red bottoms as of 2004.

Could it be that subs with anacoustic coating are all black?

When I saw the subject heading I thought for a moment that someone had suddenly produced an answer for a problem I've always had: how to paint a 1/3000 scale sub in a way which looks even half realistic. Overall black just doesn't cut it, and I haven't got far with drybrushing grey on top.

Any tips?

Personally, I am using Vallejo Black-Grey which is not as stark as proper black.

I recommend Panzer gray with a black wash. You'd be amazed at how much the salt water fades the epoxy paint.

Is it modern subs you are playing? If so, have you seen the Conn Sonar rules which are currently a work in progress?