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Pax Melmacia
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Philippines
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 Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 5:28 am Post subject: Color of U-Boat's lower hull? |
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Does this forum have a search function? The question I have is so obvious it's possible someone's already asked it. Anyways . . .
Just what color is a U-Boat's lower hull? It's hard to tell from B&W photos. Illustrations I've seen show dark grey or bright red. Which is correct? Or does the boat start off as grey below the waterline and then turns red as the sea's action exposes the primer underneath? |
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msxyz
Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Sun May 08, 2005 6:00 am Post subject: |
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Bright red was the color of the protective paint applied to prevent rusting and/or proliferation of parasites (Schiffsbodenfarbe S.B.I rot 22a).
If there was enoug time the lower hull would have received an additional coating of grey paint (Schiffstarnfarbe Dunkel Grau 31/2). But usually the gray paint never extended below the waterline. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 2:05 am Post subject: |
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Thanks! Dankerschoen! Domo arigato gozaimasu! (For your IJN avatar)
I'm making Kretschmer's U-99. |
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Drebbel
Joined: 10 Jan 2002
Posts: 6153
Location: Almost at periscope death !
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2005 2:27 am Post subject: Re: Color of U-Boat's lower hull? |
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| Pax Melmacia wrote: | Does this forum have a search function? The question I have is so obvious it's possible someone's already asked it. Anyways . . .
Just what color is a U-Boat's lower hull? It's hard to tell from B&W photos. Illustrations I've seen show dark grey or bright red. Which is correct? Or does the boat start off as grey below the waterline and then turns red as the sea's action exposes the primer underneath? |
Over at the http://www.uboat.net forums there are zilion discussion on this.
I for one still have to see photographic proof of the red lower hull in wartime.  |
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Pax Melmacia
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Philippines
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I for one still have to see photographic proof of the red lower hull in wartime. |
Colored photos of operational U-Boats are rare enough. I've seen only one, and it's above the waterline. The color beneath is indistinct; it could be dark grey, but it could also be a thick black boot stripe above an unseen red hull.
One color plate I've seen shows the boat red below but with the above-water part of the saddle tanks black (or maybe very dark grey) plus a very wide boot stripe around the hull. |
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Bertgang
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 1031
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 7:18 am Post subject: |
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I think that msxyz is right.
Full grey paint as theoretical colour, but unfinished red lower hull to save paint and time. |
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msxyz
Joined: 31 Mar 2005
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 5:17 am Post subject: Re: Color of U-Boat's lower hull? |
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| Drebbel wrote: | | I for one still have to see photographic proof of the red lower hull in wartime. |
It's stated in Rossler and Stern's books. Considering the extensive research they've both done in archieves they must have read some conclusive dodcuments.
The "Red paint" is nothing less than a variety of lead oxide (Pb3O4, different from the oxides used in lead batteries) which was used since the dawn of times as cosmetic (very toxic!) and since the last century as a cheap and effective protective paint against rust. |
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