U-Boot Uniform Colors

[ErikB]

I just purchased Artizan's Grey Wolves I & II.  Cool minis!

I'm wondering what color to paint the working uniforms (the fatigues) of the men on a U-Boot?  I have seen various colors ranging from gray to khaki to blue.  What is correct?  All the photos I have been finding have been in black and white, not very helpful for the colors.

And what about the hat?  I'm not sure what they are called - these run from back to front (like a Mohawk haircut) as opposed to being a baseball-type cap with a visor or a round one.

And please correct me if I am wrong - only the boat's captain wore a white round hat, right?  Other officers wore black, by tradition, not by regulation?

[joroas]

Check here on a previous thread:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=5515.0

[timg]

Hi Erik,

The 'battledress' style would be a grey/green usualy. It was based on British battledress and some British battledress in khaki was worn too sometimes.

The leather suits were a grey colour and otherwise the normal Navy kit was in blue and white or tan for tropical kit.

The side hat was dark blue or white. Yes traditionaly only the U boat Captains wore the white cap covers at sea.

cheers Tim

[Plynkes]

The chap in Grey Wolves I with the MP40 is wearing a British battle dress jacket. The Germans captured large stockpiles of them in France and they issued them to U-Boat crews. Paint that as you would as if it were on a Tommy. German insignia can be applied if you feel like it.

Those "mohawk" hats are dark blue.  Like you I have seen the overalls and other garments vary from grey to navy blue. I have seen the buttoned coats in both black and light grey leather.

The Kaleu (he's the chap in charge) wears a white cover on his hat, except when he doesn't (I have a U-Boat book which has plenty of photos of the Kaleu not wearing it, though they do in most pictures).

U-Boat crews on patrol rarely exhibit a uniform appearance in photos. You see all kinds of shades of clothing, rarely matching their comrades, and often much civilian clothing too.

[Doomhippie]

The Mohawk cap is called "Schiffchen" (=little ship), as it looks like a ship's hull upside down. The white cover for the captain's cap was only worn by an officer with the rank of Kaleun (Kapitänleutnant). I'm not sure what the exact equivalent in the British or US Navy would be. Lieutenant commander, maybe? It's the lowest of the captain's ranks.

[ErikB]

Thanks, guys, and thanks for the German words.

Amazing how un-uniform they could be.  That surprises me a little.

[tim in saskatoon]

Here's how I did mine...

[ErikB]

Cool, Tim.  I already "stole" those photos and put them in my blackberry to study.    I like them a lot.

What color did you use for the khaki-ish basecoat?