Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Submarines => Topic started by: 6705russell on October 11, 2008, 07:08:36 pm

Title: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 11, 2008, 07:08:36 pm

Hi all,

I am near completing my TypeVII build,  a Sheerline kit which i am most impressed with (apart from having to drill and file out all the flooding slots  >>:-( ) Have any you guys got any info on spraying the sub to get a near to real colour?

Thanks
Russ

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: amdaylight on October 11, 2008, 07:17:43 pm

Not really but I would try either Subpirates ( http://www.subpirates.com/ ) or the SubCommitee ( http://s181686668.onlinehome.us/phpBB2/messageboards.php5 ). Either one should be able to get you your answer. :-))

Andre :-)
over yonder in Portland Oregon

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: das boot on October 11, 2008, 08:13:10 pm

Good fun filing out all those slots, isn't it?   ::) I remember it well...that's why I prefer modern day subs now.  O0

Go to SubPirates.com and get onto Gantu's own sub-forum...what that man doesn't know (or can find out) isn't worth knowing. Tell him U-33 sent you.... :embarrassed:

Good luck...

Rich

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: The long Build on October 11, 2008, 08:16:32 pm

What has the sub just apparently sunk in your first posting Russ.

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 11, 2008, 10:24:32 pm

Thanks folks  :-))

Long build, never noticed how i took the picture, the ship going down is  1/72 scale HMS Hermes, 50% complete.

Russ

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: Bunkerbarge on October 12, 2008, 12:06:43 am

Russ, there seem to have been many discussions regarding the colours of u-boats and it seems that even those in the know are uncertain in most cases.  On the plus side that means it is difficult for anyone to say you are wrong!!

I think one of the best sources of information is the SubComittee site where you can sign up to become a member and recieve a superb periodical every two or three months, I can't remember now.  A couple of years ago they did a series of articles on u-boat paint schemes and although usefull it was obvious that there was a great degree of variations from one theatre to another and even one yard to another, making a definitive match almost impossible.  Even the best books out there tend to be a bit unclear when it comes to colours.

I will root out the SubComittee articles tomorrow and see what sort of guidance they give which may be of some help for you.

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 12, 2008, 06:47:33 pm

Thanks Bunkerbarge, much appreciated.

Russ

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: sheerline on October 13, 2008, 09:51:02 am

Hi, I finally found the Humbrol colour numbers for these boats, they are:
Number 127... top half
Number 123... Lower half.
Chris

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: Bunkerbarge on October 15, 2008, 08:34:17 am

Quote from: 6705russell on October 12, 2008, 06:47:33 pm

Thanks Bunkerbarge, much appreciated.

Russ

Russ,

I've sent you an e-mail with a very interesting attachment.  Please let me know when you recieve it.

BB

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 15, 2008, 11:29:47 am

PM sent

Many many thanks  :-))

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 22, 2008, 08:33:26 pm

      After much swotting up over numerous amount of literature i have sprayed the TypeVII in what i think are the right tone of two colours for the upper and lower half of the hull.  Top half excluding the deck is Kriegsmarine Silvergrau (silvery grey) RAL number 7001,
The lower half is Anthrazitegrau (Anthracite grey) RAL number 7016.  The deck is to be matt black which is the colour they treated the wooden deck with.

Russ

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: White Ensign on October 24, 2008, 07:43:28 am

... not certainly mentioned in a file, but my grandfather worked as a mechanic in a submarine-base. He once told me, that from 1943 on they still had some rules about the colour schemes, but they don`t had the paint. So they mixed together what they had, trying to match up the colour. The top grey was, depending on the area where the sub was working in, either middle dark grey (for northern approaches) or a bit a lighter grey for southern approaches. At the beginning of the war, the colour underneath the waterline was a green, later it changed to dark grey.
This means, that anything which can be called "Middle-grey" or "Dark grey" is fine, as there had been changes from time to time. And after one week in service, it all started to become rusty anyway.

Hope that was out of any help,
Jörg

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: 6705russell on October 24, 2008, 08:01:58 am

Thanks Jorg,

Yes i agree, during the later years of the war the Kriegsmarine were running out of funds and paint so the object was to patch them up with what was left and get them back into the water as quickly as possible.  At the beginning of the war there is evidence also that the lower half was a red primer colour but i think this was adapted on only a few.  More emphasis was put on the Anti-fouling paint than the upper half.

Russ

Title: Re: Type VII colour?
Post by: Tom_DK on November 03, 2008, 07:14:30 pm

The U996 in Kiel germany has not grey color but more some cyan color. I saw it several times and can verify the
colors in the photo.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/U995_2004_1.jpg/800px-U995_2004_1.jpg)