Painting "splinter" camo on a Narvik class destroyer

[cmatthewbacon]

Well... I may have bitten off more than I can chew! I'm always up for something a bit different modelling-wise, and I volunteered to build the Z.33 for a SIG display for next year. I've got the Dragon 1/350 Z.32 kit, which looks great in the box, if a little bit intimidating! Anyway, it sensibly builds everything in sections, and then brings together major assemblies at the end. What is puzzling me is how best to paint the "splinter" camouflage in several greys, which seems to run over the hull and upper works in one "continuous" pattern. Anyone care to offer me some experience and advice on how to do it...?

All the best,

M.

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Use masking tape for the hull to start with. Build the superstructure and funnels but don't glue them on, don't add really fine details (like etch) either. Line them up on the hull and carefully paint the stripes in the direction that they go.

The splinter camouflage wasn't a permanent thing, it was painted in mid war but by 1944 the destroyers generally were painted overall light grey (Z-33 inclusive). Note also the camouflage pattern was altered on Z-33 mid 1943, well the pattern was the same but the alterations used less of the really dark grey. The colours appear to be Light Grey base with Dark Grey and Very Dark Grey colours used for the stripes. I have 2 books on German Naval camouflage btw.

Also, final point, there's no such thing as a 'Narvik' class (or indeed Z-class) destroyer. That's a nickname applied to them, the Z-33 was a 1936A (Mob) class destroyer.

I really need to post pics of my 1/700 Z-31 at some point. It took best in class at the Huddersfield show in 2013.

thanks

Mike

[cmatthewbacon]

So on "Black Friday" (9th Feb 1945), Z33 would have been overall light grey? That'll make things rather easier!

As you can tell, this is a departure for me, and I learned everything I currently know about WW2 ships from Airfix when I was about 13...

I do however have Gerhard Koop's "German Destroyers of WWII" on the way cheap from Books, Etc. so that'll soon stop me calling them by the wrong name!

Thanks for the steer.

All the best,

Matt

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Indeed that book should sort you out for info on German destroyers! Calling them Narvik class is a bit like calling all the British Destroyers (up to the Tribals) 'Amazon' class after the first one, even though they were many similar classes, if that makes sense!

Indeed overall light grey would be best, she would have been painted such in 1944 and remained like that for the rest of the war. The steel decks would be dark grey and the funnel caps aluminium. The waterline is a very dark blue grey (a little lighter than Black) and the hull underside would have been red.

thanks

Mike