Victorian gun ports and shutters - internal colour?

[GrahamB]

Hi,

sorry to have to pick the collective brain of the forum again, but that is a the problem of being a relative newbie to ship-modelling and the dearth of references.

I'm building the Bronco Chih Yuen kit - see other posts on this - but am at a loss as to what internal colour to use on any open gun-port shutters (and this would apply to models of HMS Monmouth, Good Hope etc.). I seem to recall that the Royal Navy used red - at least in Napoleonic times, supposedly to mask any blood during engagements but don't know if this is either true or (if yes) if it persisted into late Victorian times.

I've found painting of details (boats, winches, interior side of solid gunwales etc, quite a challenge but found the Titanic Modelling website very useful for some colours - if they were applicable to earlier warships though. I'm not sure if the yellow on some of the upper-works of Chih Yuen is correct (a true chromate-yellow was used on Titanic funnels for example) or if a duller buff was appropriate.

Any pointers to these would be great and if there are any resource out there that I'm missing.

Cheers,

GrahamB

SMS Elster completed
HMS Shearwater completed
HMS Grenade completed

[wefalck]

Most navies in the second half of the 19th had rules for what had to be painted in which colour. The ships' interior was usually painted white (often using actually whitewash, i.e. a lime-based paint because of the caustic and, therefore, antibacterial properties - though the effect of bacteria was not known then) or cream. This made these confined spaces lighter, requiring less light, which was provided at this time by candles or oil lamps.

I have printed orders from the 1870s for the Imperial German Navy that specify white for all interior rooms.

wefalck

[GrahamB]

Hi Wefalk,

thanks for this. I guess (assumed) that white would be the logical interior colour for most spaces within ships. Thinking about it now I realise that interior of gunports/shutters on casements would have been the exterior camouflage colour as otherwise there would be a contrast when these were opened.

Still lots to learn but it is what makes this hobby compulsive.

Cheers,

GrahamB

[wefalck]

The idea of camouflage came on only in the 1890s or so. In addition, at sea such ports would be closed except in very fine weather, or when open for combat engagement, camouflage doesn't matter anymore.

wefalck