Just got done building my ship for Dreadnaughts (the Deutschland), and unfortunately I dont hold the talent to read the painting instructions, for they are in Japanese. So could any of you experienced seadogs let me know what paint color I should use for this?

aargh

Hi there Shain!

Welcome aboard!
My question are:
- what year is refered 1940? 1939?
- could you post a scan of the instructions?
- who is the maker of your model?

With these answers I can provide some help
Glad to have you aboard,

Skipper

sorry so late, almost forgot about my own post :-)
now to the point-
The maker is Fujimi and the year I'd like to build this for is 1939. I'll try and get a scan up soon, maybe I'll do some more online research too.
thanks
shain

2 colors I use extensivly for WW2 Kreigsmarine are both made by model masters enamel....Lichtgrau # 2077 and Schwartzgrau # 2079. If John from WEM picks up this thread, he'll be able to give you pretty good and correct answer and recommend the White Ensign Model paint . I didn't find any pics or color paintings of Duetschland, but did of the Graf Spee. Lichtgrau overall with some Schwartzgrau camo markings. So hopefully your directions have a scheme depicted and you can substitute colors. There was a later Baltic scheme which had a gray color in btwn the 2 but that was in "42

the directions seem to post 2 different schemes, one for 1939, an overall color, in this case lichtgrau or the other color mentioned, and another w/ the basecoat mentioned above, and black stripes....errgh fine I'll post a scan of the directions, that would probably help much more :-)

schwartzgrau is a very dark grey. Take a look at my Bismarck...you can find it in my gallery. Lichtgrau is the predominant color. Schwartgrau is next prominent. Black and white baltic stripes...the dark area on the directions is probably the Schwartzgrau.

In 1939, most German capital ships would have been painted in the following colors:

Hull: Dunkelgrau 51

Superstructure: Hellgrau 50

Wood Decks: Teak

Steel decks: Dunkelgrau 2

While in some pictures the ship looks to be one overall color, they were usually two toned - the Dunklegrau 51 is a little darker and bluer than the Hellgrau 50. Also, I've read recently that Deutschland class had linoleum covered decks on the superstructure, so those would be a reddish-brown.

If you are going back as far as the Neutrality Patrol during the Spanish Civil war, don't forget to add the stripes on the turrets, which were black, white and red.

You can find the above colors in enamel from White Ensign or Acrylic from Polly-scale.

Thanks for the help, think I've got a good lead on it now.