Cleveland Cliffs ship colors for models

Discussion forum for Model Builders. Static models to R/C.
Wheelsman

Re: Cleveland Cliffs ship colors for models

Unread post by Wheelsman »

Ed, not sure if the original reply went thru, tech problems here, so I'm trying again.
If you want to locate a Cliffs green paint color that may be readily available, check out a 1973 Buick or Pontiac body color chart. GM that year had an avocado green that looked more like an olive or fern green. I don't think it was a metallic. You might get this paint from several sources in either a lacquer or enamel.
Your Rand project sounds interesting, good luck with it.
Guest

Re: Cleveland Cliffs ship colors for models

Unread post by Guest »

Thank you! I ordered the Russet deck color on ebay--easy enough to find. The green is another matter--not sure of which model color best matches it. I went with a light green that should at least be close.

I appreciate the leads on actual ship paint--but I am not nearly so prototypical! lol I am currently working on a model of the George Rand--one of the few freighters I've been able to get any sort of plans of (and not a Cleveland ship to begin with). The model is already functional/seaworthy but finally starting to work on superstructure. Colors will be based on Cleveland Cliffs for a sort of free-lanced great lakes shipping line.

Looking forward to running on lake Michigan this summer.

Thanks for the tips! We'll see how it goes!
Ed
Wheelsman

Re: Cleveland Cliffs ship colors for models

Unread post by Wheelsman »

I have some info that might help. Over the years I've done painting at the Boyer in Toledo (used Cliffs green until about 2011), the Mather in Cleveland (used it 'til @1995), and Fairport Harbor's original pilothouse from Cliffs' Frontenac (still using it last I saw). I also built the Victory model in the Laker Conversion Models thread.
Not sure how current this all is, but in Toledo they dealt with 21st Century Paints on W.Central in Toledo (419 841 2100). Info and codes I dug up from my records was product: PPG, color: Cabin Green, formula: PB 43 PC 2Y22 PD 4 PG 12 PJ5 PW12.
In Cleveland, we dealt with Harrison Paint Co. I don't have an address or phone number handy. If they're still in business, they may have some records, and I think the Mather may be still using this color for the insides of doors, etc.
You might try any 3 of the museums to see if they have any extra paint to spare. In real life, this color was a notorious fader and chalked out quickly. When first applied, it looks like a dark fern/olive green, but after a couple seasons in the sun, it faded to a light pea green. I never saw 2 Cliffs boats that looked alike in shade of color, unless they were freshly painted side-by-side.
As for a deck paint, the closest readily available without doing any mixing was Gunze-Sangyo Gloss Aquieous Hobby Color H33, Russet. It has that bright cherry red look to it. Stewart's Hobby in Willoughby, Ohio carried it some time back, not sure about now.
I hope this might be of some help to you.
run8ed

Cleveland Cliffs ship colors for models

Unread post by run8ed »

I am trying to determine what colors of model paint to use for the Cleveland Cliffs ship scheme. Obviously I take the hull to be black and superstructure trim to be white.

What is more challenging is trying to determine deck color and the shade of green for the superstructure.

Anyone aware of how to determine these colors or especially what color of model paint to use?

thanks
Ed
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