The Ship Model Forum

I will be working on the major fleets of WWII, capital ships and all other classes down to the smallest, for the main fleets. The models for this project are small as they are intended to be used for naval training, and historical demonstrations but also to see if some reasonably accurate solution is possible and achievable.

For WWII, a tall order solving the main hull and deck colours of the major fleets. I will work thru it slowly. but thought to ask for tips and suggestions here. I am detailing the fleets in small scale and plan to take what time is needed to do it as well as possible. Also Stacks, top hamper, superstructures, ships boats, etc. Scale is pretty small so wont be required to deal with smaller issues and gear. Will use decals and very careful brush work for some decks on larger ships and numbering as were used per fleet.

I know somewhat of the puzzles of these, for instance the RN destroyed many records and related info after the war, they had a number of variations, as of course did the USN. The IJN has a number of major arsenal/shipyards each with their own variation of colour, dont know much yet about the French Marine Nationale, and Kriegsmarine used a number of variations. The deck colour is also a challenge, at times there were official choices and then variations ship by ship depending on the captiain's choices and what was allowed. The introduction of anti slip measures complicated things in many fleets as well.

For the USN, i understand wood decks were present in Captial ships and some cruisers. Same for the RN, Kriegsmarine and IJN, not sure much at all about Marine Nationale. Smaller ships some used brown linoleum, and other surfaces, Auxuliaries often had dark decks, as did many DDs. I know this is a vast topic and there is much lively discussion and controversy. I have dealt with this for WWI era ships, so have some experience but here I thought was a good place to at least launch the question. There is no rush and I like to do things right as much as possible. I wont delve in to camoflage for now..just as built in general to at least keep things somewhat workable. Any ideas and thoughts shared very welcome. I know many of the main model paint makers and suppliers and I am or was for 50 years a professional artist, a landscape painter so I am well versed in the vagaries of Colour and recreating it. Fire Away any thoughts welcome.

Chris

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Director
3D Worlds and Game Developers Group LInkedin
'"We Build Worlds"
Admin
Elvas Tower

For the US Navy, your single best resource would be this website, but it won't help you with things like linoleum placement which you'll have to research on a ship-by-ship basis.
https://shipcamouflage.com/warship_camouflage.htm

For the Kriegsmarine, there isn't much in general but early war practises can mostly be typified. Best ask ship-by-ship though.

For the French there's really nothing of value out there.

The IJN isn't too bad, but you'd be best starting with this as the single best resource. Not infallable though...
https://www.whiteensignmodels.com/p/Imperial+Japanese+Navy+Greys+A+ShipbyShip+Compilation+FS001/2982/

For the Royal Navy, there's lots and lots out there, but almost all of it is best avoided. Without exaggeration, far more in the public domain is wrong than is correct and most published books are absolutely terrible with layers upon layers of misunderstanding, parroted errors and sometimes outright fabrication. It's possible to generalise, sometimes, until late 1939 but into 1940 lots of things started to change. You'll need to ask ship by ship and timeframe by timeframe. Authoritative information may not exist. Hopefully your models will be waterline, or there's a whole additional topic to cover which is breaking down the "common sense" idea that all ships were red below the waterline, or even that there was a standardised red.

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James Duff
Sovereign Hobbies Ltd
http://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk

Current build:
HMS Imperial D09 1/350
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167151

hi James thanks a lot for that post a great start. Yes the ships will all be waterline, cast in metal and I get the job of detailing them. They are being made in England by an expert source, but i get the fun of research and development.

I agree re the RN i dug deep on that a while ago, and ended up for the WWI ships using a set of incrediible small scale ships in the Greeenwhich Naval Museum that are in such detail that even individual stanchions, anchors, windlasses and all other details of rigging were lovingly shown. It was the entire Grand Fleet and is if anyone gets there an amazing sight.

for the rest i have had some good advice from Dan Kaplan on the IJN and have a start on a research library on that fleet, but will dig in and keep going on all of the rest. The French fleet is most unknown to me and will be fun to find out about.

Chris

_________________
Director
3D Worlds and Game Developers Group LInkedin
'"We Build Worlds"
Admin
Elvas Tower