MN Dunkerque 1940 Colors

Area for camouflage and painting questions

Moderators: MartinJQuinn, Timmy C, Gernot, Olaf Held, JWintjes

Post Reply
User avatar
VMIVince
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:14 pm
Location: North Dakota, USA

MN Dunkerque 1940 Colors

Post by VMIVince »

All,

I am trying to find any amplifying information on the "Gris Fonce Atlantique" that the MN Dunkerque was painted in early 1940 for Atlantic duties. I'm thinking it's something in the ballpark of 507B or FS 36118.

Additionally, any idea what material was used on the superstructure decks? The photo below of a model in the French Naval Museum (built in the 40's) shows a very dark brownish grey that is similar to, but darker than the corticene used on RN vessels. Thanks!
Musee de Marine Dunkerque.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Mr. Church
Posts: 662
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:00 pm

Re: MN Dunkerque 1940 Colors

Post by Mr. Church »

This may help:
Dunkerque wreck 1944.jpg
I only saw this message after already replying on the main forum. The Dunkerque retained her dark grey 'Atlantic' colour scheme right to the end of her life. And there are colour photos of what remained of her taken after the liberation of Toulon as per the one above. You can just about make out the blue white and red neutrality markings on her axial secondary turret. So the colours in the photo seem somewhat reasonable, subject to all the usual caveats of colour photos from that era, post-processing of the image, computer screen settings etc. etc...
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
VMIVince
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:14 pm
Location: North Dakota, USA

Re: MN Dunkerque 1940 Colors

Post by VMIVince »

Thanks for the help, Mr. Church. After some consideration, I think my initial hack of something akin to FS 36118 is going to be too dark. I'm going to try FS 36231 for the overall Atlantic Grey and RLM 61 for the non-skid surfaces. I'll post some in-progress photos of how they turn out.
Mr. Church
Posts: 662
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:00 pm

Re: MN Dunkerque 1940 Colors

Post by Mr. Church »

Please do post photos, I look forward to seeing them.

Also worth considering that most of the photos of Dunkerque in the dark colour scheme seem to have taken in the Mediterranean where most of the time it would be much brighter than in the Atlantic. No sooner had Dunkerque been painted into the darker colour scheme for Atlantic Operations than concerns emerged about Mussolini's Italy joining the war so she ended up being transferred to the Mediterranean to Mers el K�bir to deal with that threat. Ironically.

That Dunkerque model you posted a photo of was actually on display last time I visited the Mus�e de la Marine in Paris. Probably my favourite section there. Along with the similar models adjacent to her of Richelieu and Jean Bart.
Post Reply

Return to “Camouflage & Coatings”