Bismarck waterline/Wasserpass - what colour is correct?!

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Roger Fairhurst
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Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:13 pm

Bismarck waterline/Wasserpass - what colour is correct?!

Post by Roger Fairhurst »

Needing just a few ordered items, I am about to start building the brilliant Flyhawk 1/700 Deluxe Bismarck.
I have spent countless hours researching the wealth of information and detail of the ship itself available on the web but one question needs to be answered before I embark on the first step of building and painting the hull namely:

What WAS the colour of the Bismarck waterline (Wasserpass in German)?

From all the colour illustrations I have seen it appears to be black, like one half of the camouflage stripes.
However, digging deeper I found references (one on this forum I believe) that states it was RAL 7016, (DKM Dark Grey 53)
This colour is also quoted elsewhere as being the dark grey camouflage colouring at the stern and aft of the ship intended to reduce it's perceived length.
This sounds wrong and unlike any illustration I have ever seen.
Also the RAL 7016, which seems to be also specified for metal desks, appears of even lighter colour if Mission Models' Ral 7016 (which is on order) is anything to go by.

Help?!!
Can anyone unscramble my confused mind with a few answers?!

For the dark grey - bow and stern - I intended using the recommended Revell acrylic 361/78 although I would prefer to use Valleco colours but can find no equivalent AV Air colour on any of their colour charts.

Kind regards
Roger
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hans zurbriggen
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Re: Bismarck waterline/Wasserpass - what colour is correct?!

Post by hans zurbriggen »

Hello Roger (if I may),
waterline RAL 7016 (Schiffsbodenfarbe Grau, very dark grey), bow and stern RAL 7024 (dark grey), stripes of "Baltic" camouflage RAL 9005 (black).
RAL 7016 was also used for metal decks. All 3 colors are very similar in photos.

hans
Roger Fairhurst
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Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:13 pm

Re: Bismarck waterline/Wasserpass - what colour is correct?!

Post by Roger Fairhurst »

Hello hans, and yes of course you 'may'!
Thank you for your response though I have a question regarding the RAL numbers you were kind enough to supply me with.
I paint all my models with acrylic paints suitable for application with an airbrush. My preference being for paints readily available in the EU can you perhaps recommend paints for RAL 7024 and RAL 7016? My usual paints are, in order of preference, 1. Vallejo, 2. Tamiya and 3. Revell but am more interested in an authentic match to the RAL number rather than any specific make of paint.
Kind regards
Roger
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hans zurbriggen
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Re: Bismarck waterline/Wasserpass - what colour is correct?!

Post by hans zurbriggen »

Hello Roger,
I never used acrylic (only enamel).
For German ships, I have always gone with former White Ensign enamel colors (now they are Colourcoats produced by Sovereign Hobbies and distributed in all EU). They have the full German colors available, very accurate.
For acrylics, I would not be able to help you, except I know Vallejo has RAL 7016 available, but I can show you a sample from German original pantone for Kriegsmarine colors, for you to choose the better available acrylic (please note paper of copy is a bit yellowish, thus the same happens to colors: I recommend you to go with RALs instead).
Also, be careful that Bismarck was painted with 2 different "light" grey: RAL 7000 for hull (more dark) and RAL 7001 for superstructures (more light).

hans
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