Skipper's comments about the Skipjack hull raises a question I have about below the waterline and ballast tanks of U-Boat hulls. I've seen color plates in the past that show them to be anti-fouling red and others as the dark grey. I've also noted the preserved examples such as the one at Kiel had the dark grey. However, I know from personal experience in museum work that close is sometimes good enough. (budgets sometimes dictate accuracy)

So which is the correct color?

As an addition, what have you guys used for the the light grey and the dark grey?

Since this is a known Wasp Nest, I'll go and re-check my references first :-)

Accurate news tomorrow!



Skipper

LOL :-) :-) :-) :-)

Once stung twice shy Skip?

I've a can of bug spray just in case. And, I'll await the info.

A friend of mine, Dougie Martindale, has done extensive research on this and other parts of the u boats concerning paint and weathering. Here is what he says about the lower hull:

"To conclude, I find that although there is no positive evidence of the use of red on pre-war hulls, the possibility cannot be completely discounted. But I would suggest that it would be prudent of modellers who choose a pre-war U-boat not to use red unless positive confirmation comes to light. If a wartime U-boat is being modelled I would suggest that a red hull and bootline would be extremely likely to be erroneous, and recommend a colour somewhere in the region of Schiffsbodenfarbe III Grau (RAL 7016) for the lower hull."

Please check out his amazing articles on the colors and weatherings of a u boat. He also has a plethora of information concerning some individual boats: such as exhaust hole patterns, flood hole paterns and cammo schemes.

Here's the link:
http://uboatcolours.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

It will answer a lot questions.

Take Care,

Jess

Hi Steve :-) :-) :-)

I am not affraid of these stungs!!
But I don't want to fool other members, or they will start calling me a !!!
:-)



For type VII painting schemes this is a good example, with RG VII-C's:
DeepWaterModels

Again, personal interpretation of the photographic sources is a key factor...

WEM have a very good set of Kriegsmarine Paints in their ColourCoats sets;

Also Snyder & Sort have this ColourCoats and more:
Color chips Kriegsmarine #1
Color chips Kriegsmarine #2

Skipper [who never learns :-)]

I remember going through the wha color is the hull dilema last year. Go with the gray you'll never be wrong as to colors, I used model masters enamel and the three colors I used were
Lichtgrau MM #2077
Schartzgrau MM#2079
and for the deck Graungrun #2084 ( although my perception is this is the same as the schwrtzgrau)

So grey it is!

Thanks guys!

I checked out Dougie Martindale's great color info, and decided on a scheme for my Revell 1/72 u-boat:

upper hull and conning tower:
Hellgrau 50 (light blue grey)

below w/l:
Dunkelgrau 51 (dark blue grey)

Deck and toppings:
Dunkelgrau 53
(bluey charcoal grey, almost black but not really)

I bought 1 tin of each from WEM -very nice Kreigsmarine cols. I compared them to raw Humbrols, and there's nothing close. But I have started mixing my own Humbrol substitutes (WEM paints are twice the price, and shipping to Oz is a killer). I've cracked the charcoal Dunkelgrau 53 so far if anyone's interested:

Humbrol 91 (green grey) 1 part
96 (med blue grey) 2 parts
33 (black) 1 part

A simple charcoal dark grey is too flat, and flat black is too black. The combo give a nice bluey charcoal effect. I've put my swatch against the WEM and you really can't spot the diff (tho WEM seems a slight bit more shine). Working on the other two next (and I haven't even started building yet!)

Are you going straight out of the box or did you pick up one of those replacement deck sets in either metal or Wood?

Hi blaster,

No, I've got the feeeever. baaaad. I've spent more on after market stuff than the orig model! I've got pressure hull, wood deck (yes, the wintergarten is not as good in wood as kit and all aftermarkets seem to miss the correct number of triangle deck grates), the turned brass gun barels, the brass PE details by WEM, and a cotton flag with swastika (went with smaller scale to model the 3' often seen in pix, not the 6').

I'm going to really concentrate on the conning tower and the paint job, a good op to really learn weathering. Figure I'll stain the deck a dark "woody" col, then paint it with the "black" anti-fouling, and put in some scuff down tot the stain.

Hi Guys,

I know it is big deal about to get German supplies from the rest of the world, especially local German brands, but I would like bring you attention to superb water based acryl paints.

The brand called "Marabu" and company has full range of stuff for hobby.

www.marabu-kreativ.de

they supply in bottles of 50 ML. for airbrush it would be 100ML.
I used distiled water in 1:1 proportion.

Colors called

Dunkelgrau / 079
Hellgrau / 278

I was really surprised how close this paints are to some references.

And they are cheap 2,50 EURO per 50 ML

I would post link to review shortly.

Thanks for sharing AtomicTuna, they look good!

Skipper

Thanks Tuna.

I still haven't come to a conclusion on acrylic. My wife used them and had trouble (thinned with water), then discovered the proper thinner (which I think is meths/iso alcohol).

I've used them on a recent project, and clean up is nice, but masking is tough. I've never trusted batteries, or glue, and now acrylic. I'm going to finish my project in acrylic, but for the u-boat, I'm going back to good old mean and difficult enamel. It bites in I think!

Anyone have any good or bad experiences with acrylic?