U.S. Navy Hangar Deck Paint

Some time ago, I asked for info on what color to paint the hangar
decks on my USN aircraft carrier ship models. Several of you responded,
and said that the appropriate color was flat white.
I replied the Samuel Eliot Morrison's History of U.S. Naval Operations
in WWII indicated that all USN ships were ordered to remove interior
paint in the wake of the shipboard fires during the Battle of Savo Island.
Again, I was told that hangar decks throughout WWII were white.
In the book 1942: The Year That Tried Men's Souls, author Winston
Groom writes on pp. 275-276, that the navy ordered paint stripped from
all interior compartments, due to its contribution to spreading onboard
fires from battle damage.
Also, the USS Enterprise (CV-6) Plan of the Day for 29 August, 1942
states:
"From an analysis of the fire we had below on the 24th (Aug 1942), it
is apparent that we were greatly aided in fighting the fire and the fire did
not spread from the original damaged areas due to the fact that nearly all
paint had been removed from the compartments affected. The many laborious
hours that the crew has spent scraping paint paid real dividends in that emergency.
There is still a considerable amount of paint to be removed from compartments
in which there is a possibility of fire as the result of bomb or shell damage in an
engagement. It appears that the next two weeks will offer an excellent opportunity
to finish the job, and we should by all means make the most of it in order to place
the ship in the best possible condition for future engagements. It is desired that
those divisions which do not have spaces in the damaged area start again today
on the paint removal project, being guided by the priority lists which have been
prepared by Heads of Departments. ...
Divisions having spaces and areas exposed to the weather should also take
this opportunity to clean up and touch up rust and corrosion spots and in general
look to the preservation of the ship."
(signed) W.F. Boone, Commander, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer

Based on this info, I believe that after August 1942, the proper color for a
USN hangar deck should be bare metal. I have found no info to indicate that
the USN had any non-flammable paint to use in hangar decks, nor that hangar
decks were specifically exempted from paint removal - especially as hangar
decks were the principal areas damaged by enemy bombs, and were very
prone to fires, due to the aircraft stored there.

I don't recall that discussion, but thank you for the information.

_________________
𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐓- 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆

"But Chief, the civilians at the yard just painted the whole ship!"

"I don't care, get to chippin'."

Interesting discussion and great information. Now the question becomes: is the hanger considered a weather deck, open to the elements, and therefor painted, or is it considered a below deck space. I tend to think it is a weather deck since it has many large openings, the roller doors are not watertight, and it is above the main deck.

_________________
"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did." Thomas Edward Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom

if we take civilian rules, the hangar deck is indeed an weather deck. (post midway class however, the main deck/strength deck is above the hangar deck level though)

that said, who told you belowdeck spaces are not painted?

_________________
Drawings are credited with J.Scholtens
I ask of you to prove me wrong. Not say I am wrong, but prove it, because then I will have learned something new.
Shipbucket Wiki admin

Quote:

Also, the USS Enterprise (CV-6) Plan of the Day for 29 August, 1942
states:
"From an analysis of the fire we had below on the 24th (Aug 1942), it
is apparent that we were greatly aided in fighting the fire and the fire did
not spread from the original damaged areas due to the fact that nearly all
paint had been removed from the compartments affected. The many laborious
hours that the crew has spent scraping paint paid real dividends in that emergency.
There is still a considerable amount of paint to be removed from compartments
in which there is a possibility of fire as the result of bomb or shell damage in an
engagement. It appears that the next two weeks will offer an excellent opportunity
to finish the job, and we should by all means make the most of it in order to place
the ship in the best possible condition for future engagements. It is desired that
those divisions which do not have spaces in the damaged area start again today
on the paint removal project, being guided by the priority lists which have been
prepared by Heads of Departments. ...
Divisions having spaces and areas exposed to the weather should also take
this opportunity to clean up and touch up rust and corrosion spots and in general
look to the preservation of the ship."
(signed) W.F. Boone, Commander, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer

From the OP.

The "scraping paint" practice is an age-old WW2 USN thing. The paint was found to burn so fiercely that it was removed from the interior of the ships as soon as possible.

Shipbucket

U.S. Navy Hangar Deck Paint

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