Interior hanger color?

[redalb2253]

I don't know if this has been dissused or not are there any pictures of the interior of the hangers? or does anyone know the color, Thanks .

[Herr Nilsson]

(up to 1 m) dark grey -> RAL 7024
(above 1 m) white (mat) -> RAL 9002

[Nelson Ott]

Hi all,

This is my first posting on this very interesting Forum. I'm currently superdetailing the Revell 1/350 model with White Ensign Models photoetch, and my question is related to the one above: which was the inner colour of porthole covers (scuttles)? From the B/W photos of the Bismarck, they sometimes seem to be a light gray, sometimes white, or even natural metal.

I've already written to the Blohm und Voss shipyard asking this, but they replied their Bismarck archives were confiscated by the Allies following the end of WWII and they do not have any information on that vessel. Even the WEM colour specialists did not have the answer.

Can you guys have answer this ?

Thanks and regards,

Nelson Ott
(Plastic modeller from Brazil but with a German heritage)

[Nelson Ott]

Hi all,

I'm disappointed. No one could provide at least a hint of the colour used inside the scuttles ? (You know, as an avid plastic modeller, I suffer from advanced colour neurosis).

Thanks and regards,

Nelson Ott

[Herr Nilsson]

In open condition usually the same as the surrounding superstructure.

[Nelson Ott]

In open condition usually the same as the surrounding superstructure.

Danke sehr, Herr Nilsson, for the information. Can I suppose that the impression of a different colour on B/W photos is caused by light incidence ?

And another question (not wanting to be too boring ): RAL 9002 (which seems to be a very light grey) was the general internal colour of the Kriegsmarine ships ?

MFG

Nelson Ott

[Herr Nilsson]

Can I suppose that the impression of a different colour on B/W photos is caused by light incidence ?

I think so. I don't know any counter-example.

And another question (not wanting to be too boring ): RAL 9002 (which seems to be a very light grey) was the general internal colour of the Kriegsmarine ships ?

As prescribed by the "Anstrichvorschrift" and regarding surface vessels, yes. RAL 9002 (it was officially called white) was the general interior color, but tinting was allowed in cabins, mess rooms and chambers. There was a 250 mm dark grey "Sockel" (plinth?) in men's rooms. In the other rooms (including the passageways) this "Sockel" was 1 m high.

Engine rooms were RAL 9006 "Aluminiumbronze".

[Nelson Ott]

Thanks again, Marc, for the prompt and detailed response. This will surely help me to build a more accurate Bismarck model.

I had even in the past written to Blohm & Voss asking these questions, but they said (in a very polite way) that all "drawings and technical documents of the BISMARCK, as well as of other naval vessels, have been confiscated by the Allied after WW2, so no information is left in the Blohm + Voss archive."

Can all these information be stored somewhere in UK ?

MFG

Nelson Ott

[Herr Nilsson]

Hi Nelson,


.."drawings and technical documents of the BISMARCK, as well as of other naval vessels, have been confiscated by the Allied after WW2"...
This is true, as far as I know. In Germany you can find such informations in the Bundesarchiv/Militaerarchiv in Freiburg. NARA in the US has a lot of copies of plans and logbooks. I'm not familiar with the UK archives, but as far as I know there are copies too.

I think Blohm & Voss was not the right address to ask for information regarding paintwork anyway. Almost all things regarding Kriegsmarine were regulated in so called "Marinedruckvorschriften" (M.Dv.) by the OKM. For paintwork it's the ABB. Nr. 31 (Allgemeine Baubestimmung), which was part of the M.DV.Nr. 147, as far as I know. You have also to consider that the ABB 31 was modified a little bit in details from time to time. For Bismarck the relevant issue is probably the one from March 1940. The informations about interior colors, which I posted above, are from the November 1941 issue, but I think the informations are still reliable enough.
However, it's very unlikely that B&V has got anything of these totally obsolete OKM-stuff.

[Nelson Ott]

Hi Marc,

Very interesting information.

Just one more question: Do you know if any photograph of the interior of the aircraft hangars has survived ? I've never seen any.

MFG

Nelson Ott

[Herr Nilsson]

There are some pictures looking from outside into the hangars.

Here you can find one: viewtopic.php?p=568