Hull Colours
Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: Boats (In alphabetical order)
Forum Name: Dark Class
Forum Description: Discussion on Dark Class boats
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=24
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 8:57pm
Topic: Hull Colours
Posted By: Explosion
Subject: Hull Colours
Date Posted: 05 February 2005 at 4:10pm
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I have been studying a series of photographs of this class, obtained from the World Ship Society. Most are shown with black hulls and white pennant numbers but Dark Avenger and Dark Aggressor have light grey hulls with black pennant numbers. Dark Biter is shown with light grey forward and black aft. Can anybody provide dates of these changes and did they apply to all craft? Or were some vessels simply painted a different colour to the others? ------------- Explosion |
Replies:
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 05 February 2005 at 8:28pm
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I understand that all the RN Dark class, as delivered from the various builders, originally had the 'all over' light grey hull paint scheme. The stains from the exhausts began to cause major problems with the boats appearance in service after a very short main engine run time, while the experiment with the 'half black' hull on HMS Dark Biter evidently did not find favour with the powers that be. The 'all black' hull began to appear in early 1956, before the class had even completed its building run. I understood that the names, on the windbreak etc, and Pennent No's were in Red (not white) on both Grey and Black hulls. As for accurate dates of the re-paintings- I'm sure someone out there will enlighten us. However, there is photgraphic evidence that a lone Gay class boat, Gay Charioteer, had the 'all black' hull (and Red No's)late in its career during the early '60s with the Target Squadron's.
------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: Explosion
Date Posted: 07 February 2005 at 11:13am
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Many thanks for the data on hull colours but one more question. Does anybody know the transom colour when the boats were painted grey forward and black aft? was the black continued across the transom or was black only painted on the sides? ------------- Explosion |
Posted By: Explosion
Date Posted: 28 April 2005 at 3:59pm
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Image of Dark Gladiator ------------- Explosion |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 07 November 2010 at 7:30pm
The dark paint job appears to be on the transoms too. The twin Napier Deltics were two-stroke 18 cylinder engines. This would probably be why the exhausts were dirty and the hull became stained. The all black hull would look better than a part paint job and would likely appeal to the 'Dark' mystique too. See my latest Dark Class photos just added this weekend to http://www.mprints.co.uk - www.mprints.co.uk under the Dark Class page.
An experimantal hydrofoil named "Bras d'Or" was also built in Beaumaris for the Canadian Navy. This is on page "SARO other products". Happy browsing
 Dave ------------- Dave Mills |
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 10 November 2010 at 8:06pm
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Red numbers with white border;
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Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 10 November 2010 at 9:33pm
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The rare image shown above by 'mprints' shows an early Transome exit for the exhaust. The models when accepted for RN service were believed to have all had side exit exhaust. The Black Hull paint scheme was adopted after they had first entered RN service.
There is photo graphic evidence that during trials at least one had a half Black Hull - P1104 Dark Biter - http://www.bmpt.org.uk/other_boats_history/Dark%20Class/index2.htm - http://www.bmpt.org.uk/other_boats_history/Dark%20Class/index2.htm (scroll down a little)
Other colour differences from the norm were that the water line was painted Red as was the name and number painted on the Bridge structure.
(The 'Gay' class, which these craft superseded, had at least two members painted with Black Hulls (during the 1960s), but normal White numbering and Black for the Bridge ID - P1051 Gay Fencer, shown here, and P1049 Gay Charioteer)
 ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: Danny
Date Posted: 12 November 2010 at 12:19am
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Hi, Some dates to go with the information mentioned above. Letter dated 27th June 1956 from the Captain Coastal Forces, HMS Hornet. Dark Class Fast Patrol Boats - Painting of Experience has shown that it is impracticable to keep the hulls of ‘Dark” Class Patrol Boats in good smart state with light grey paint owing to the effects of diesel exhaust. Trials have been carried out with the after part of the hull painted black but it has been found that the exhaust fumes are liable to spread further forward and that the part coloured hull is somewhat unsightly. 2. It is intended to paint the hulls of the ‘Dark’ Class boats of the First Fast Patrol Boat Squadron entirely black, with pendant number in white, for the next three months at least for trial. Letter dated 9th November 1956 from the Captain Coastal Forces, HMS Hornet. Dark Class Fast Patrol Boats - Painting of The painting of the hulls of the Dark class Fast Patrol Boats of the First Fast Patrol Boat Squadron entirely black has proven satisfactory. It is proposed that all Dark class Fast Patrol Boats commissioning in future at HMS Hornet should adopt the same colour scheme. 2. If this is approved it is submitted that Commodore Superintendent Contract Built Ships should be requested to arrange for Dark class craft still under construction to be painted similarly :- Hulls - Entirely black. ( synthetic black paint, patt. 5340) Pendant Number - Red, edged with white Admiralty Fleet Order 1289 dated 17th May contains the 9th November information plus “Note – Boot Topping is to be red on vessels with black topsides and black on vessels with grey topsides” |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 8:58pm
http://dave-mills.yolasite.com/saro-dark-class-mtbs.php">
P1101 Dark Adventurer looking a bit rough around the stem. It may have been this one that rammed Beaumaris Pier about 1 mile west of the Saunders-Roe factory (Minesweeper on the right)------------- Dave Mills |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 22 April 2011 at 4:45pm
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We now know the transom exhaust Dark Class was P1120 Dark Scout. This was a unique all-welded aluminium version with modified exhaust arrangements and a simplified box-like bridge. It can be spotted easily in photographs as it didn't have the usual flared spray deflectors around the bridge structure. It may have been built in this simplified form to same weight, cost, time of construction and increase rigidity of the hull and reduce maintenance compared with a mahogany hull. It was also the last Dark Class built by Saunders-Roe for the Royal Navy before the cancellation of the remaining boats. I recently heard that a side exhaust Dark had shipped seawater during some rough weather into one of the side exhausts while she was moored one night at Menai Bridge pier. When they came to start the engines the following day a pair of pistons came together one of the Napier Deltic engines and smashed it. The starting procedure changed to include a hand cranking of each engine through one revolution to ensure no water had entered any of the eighteen cylinders. The early Deltics had also suffered cooling water to cylinder leaks and could also cause catastrophic damage when started. ------------- Dave Mills |