[DahBlount]

That's one route you can take. There should really only be a sudden change in the material like that if it was scratches in paint exposing the underlying metal surface, but I think we can agree that the Leviathan is largely not painted.

[Phantom Hoover]

Wha? I'd assumed most surfaces on FS ships are painted.

[DahBlount]

Wha? I'd assumed most surfaces on FS ships are painted.

The only parts that immediately strike me as painted on the Leviathan are the war strips and the caution pattern on the missile turret. Other than that, the main surfaces never really looked painted to me.
As for the rest of the FS ships, some are definitely painted while others either aren't or it's difficult to tell.

[Droid803]

Wait what why do you have to paint grey metal grey?

[fightermedic]

In atmosphere mostly to keep it from erosion i guess
i think most fighters like the F16/F22 that appear to be grey are actually painted, but i am not 100% sure

[Oddgrim]

Wait what why do you have to paint grey metal grey?

paint is to protect the metal from outside effects, like erosion, rust ect.
In space there radiation, tiny objects (in asteroid fields) That would effect the surface of the hull for example.