IJN colours- 1904-05 ?

[Killingholme]

Hi all,

 

I've seen a few kits which have colour schemes for Japanese battleships and cruisers during the Russo-Japanese war painted with black hulls and a light grey superstructure. Many kit manufacturers recommend equivalents of 'Light Gull Grey' which actually has a distinct beige-grey tint to it.  here's an example on a digital model

 

 

Is this just interpretation of b+w photos, or based on documentation? Does anyone know anything else much about colour schemes of IJN ships during the Russo-Japanese war?

 

Will

[Michael M]

What you have on the picture above is the peacetime 'Victorian' scheme. During the war  Japanese ships where grey overall. 

[Killingholme]

17 hours ago, Michael M said:

What you have on the picture above is the peacetime 'Victorian' scheme. During the war  Japanese ships where grey overall. 

 

That's what I thought too Michael, but the upper works in this and many other colour profiles are light grey not 'Victorian' White- a lot of Japanese model kits make an obvious distinction between a grey superstructure and pure white funnel bands. I just wondered whether they were going on some sort of evidence or whether they had just misinterpreted the peacetime Victorian scheme? Just struck me as odd!

[Michael M]

I'm a bit lost to what are you actually asking... The colour of the bands in peace time? There were no bands in wartime scheme as far as I know. Don't worry much about colour profiles, I can make you one of Shikishima in pink with purple dots on funnels  Photographs are the only real reference.

[Killingholme]

Thanks for replying Michael. I think you're right, unless I see any evidence to support it, I think models like this one below are just wrong! 

 

Will

 

[Michael M]

I like the brass shafts the most 

[stevej60]

Will,your post reminded me of a beautiful shipwright's model in the science museum in Newcastle of an Armstrong's built ship for the  IJN,definitely

as I recall in a very pale gray almost off white,there are  a few  photo's on tinternet of Armstrong built ships for japan including Yashima passing

through the swing bridge in 1896

 

[Killingholme]

That's a cracking photo! Is it just an artefact of the photo angle or have they flooded a few tanks to take her off an even keel (perhaps in order to make sure she clears the bridge?)

[stevej60]

2 hours ago, Killingholme said:

That's a cracking photo! Is it just an artefact of the photo angle or have they flooded a few tanks to take her off an even keel (perhaps in order to make sure she clears the bridge?)

Not sure Will,she certainly would have cleared the high level bridge behind her and the familier  tyne  bridge wasn't built until 1929,interesting the crowd's of

onlooker's on the upper level of the bridge as it carries the London to Edinburgh main line!