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Posted by Rick Heinbaugh on November 5, 2025, 0:50:18, in reply to "Knox Class Color Question"
I served on Stein, FF-1065 an Engineer Officer.
The color FS numbers given here were what I saw on the prints while we were in an overhaul period.
However - the decks were frequently spruced up with a black wash, and as you can see from photos, the deck color wore and faded a lot.
I am of the school that believes in some degree of "scale effect" - I know that is not a universally held opinion.
For a bonus item, in the 1989 yard period we were given a experimental color scheme, documented by NAVSEA as a "Low Observability" scheme. The black on the top of the macks was deleted. It had been determined that ships with unique upperworks could be identified because the black mast could be identified early as a 1052. Besides the black mack, the changes included deleting any white or black to reduce IR signature as a target. The hull numerals and the top of the ASROC launcher were painted a lighter gray. The black on the hull numerals and the bottom of the ship's boat were painted in a darker gray. Maybe I'll paint my second AFV Club kit that way.
Rick 
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I am about to start building the AFV Club 1/700 Knox class frigate kit. My question is about the best match in acrylic paints for the haze gray and deck gray in use in the ‘80s.
From what I have from the internet (it must be true!) that haze gray is FS 36270 and that deck gray is FS 36008. The source also said that both are available in Vallejo colors, which I have had success with, but that the Vallejo deck gray looks too light. So he used Vallejo Basalt Gray.
I would appreciate any comments or suggestions about the paint colors or the kit itself.
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