I was going to order some cotton flags from modelflags.com, but I noticed their u-boat flags, unlike general KM flags, are black and white. This is confusing because in all documentaries and pictures I've seen before, all of them looked like the colored KM flag. Heck, even all my u-boat kits came with the red/black flags. What is that all about?
And while we're on the topic, which size would be more appropriate?
My two 1/144 boats have flags of approximately 8mm in length, whereas the 1/72 has a flag that is a little over 20mm. Should I get the 20mm flags?
Thanks!

PS. Anyone know the correct sizes for a 1/1350 Bismarck and Hood? My Bismarck flags looks around 15mm, but I may be wrong.
Thanks!

Ahoy, Ion!

Have you seen this link?. . .a really good site that illustrates and explains the flags of the Kriegsmarine, mate, with some really good links imbedded on the page, to get you started. . .

Kriegsmarine Flags


And, follow this link to a really good chart for flag sizes. . .page 2, of the .pdf file.

Flag Size Chart


~Gunny

I bought my flags at Modelflags and just went with the naval Ensign in Red - I'm basing this on a color shot (see below) of a uboat with a red flag; and the "gray" of the flags in B&W photos (white wouldn't show as gray), so I don't know about the details behind the Black only version...

There's a color shot here, down the page a bit:
http://www.rocketcopy.biz/models/rokket/uboat/paint.shtml

Thanks Wink. I had already purchased the red flags. My subject, the U-564 definetely had a red flag even though my pictures are B&W. You can tell it's red by comparing it to the white lines on the flag.

I went with the 15mm flags for my 1/144 boats. My calculations show a size of approximately 11.8 mm for a correct flag in that scale, (I've found that the original flags were 1.7m by 1m) and looking at the modelflags flags, the center circle appears too small for the size of the flag, so by trimming the flag to ~12mm it should show up just right.

I went with the 25mm flag for the 1/72 boats (a trimmed 30 may have been more appropriate, but I didn't want to risk it since I've never actually seen one of their flags besides on pictures) and 15mm flags for Bismarck and Hood.

I know some older ship captains kind of liked the old Imperial battle ensign which was white and black. The World War 2 version which was red with the cross and swastica in the center kind of looked like it. The skipper of the Graf Spee when he shot himself wrapped himself up in the Imperial flag. I remember reading that many many years ago.

One thing you might consider, before you put these expensive flags on your kits would be array them on a scanner and scan them into your computer. In the future you can print them out on paper and using some decal fixative to set them into the paper, cut them out and put them on a piece of tinfoil or lead foil or just glue two together to give you both sides and use it for future projects.

Madwolf - yes, scale decisions! It's excellent to know the 1:1 size, often it's a guess or an average of many measurements. The numbers sound good though, and the method.

Blaster - good idea on scaning, also for testing sizes.

Yes, I was glad to find it too. I actually got this number from a picture of an original flag and the dimensions were printed (original) on the flag, but while searching for the original website, I ran into this:
http://flagspot.net/flags/de1938~w.html

which specifies the dimensions for all standard issue flags.

Great link, why didn't I know about this before I bought my flasg! Will ahve to go and check! Thanks!