Log in

View Full Version : Ships' Funnel Colours

dthomo
10-12-08, 04:30 AM
I live in Liverpool and am fortunate to have access to one of the best Maritime museums in Europe. I recently contacted their archive to see if they could help me with some research I'm doing into funnel colours in use during WWII. The reply told me that from early on in the war, British ships had the funnels over-painted in grey or black to hinder identification.How this would help I can't quite see, since it was only draught and maybe speed that would bother U-boat commanders. Anyway, they also gave me a link to a site that lists all the British trans-Atlantic lines and their funnel colours (http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/funnels.html). Now what I want to know, is it possible to incorporate the historic funnel colours into SHIII, so that (maybe using SHIII Commander and the list of ships in that prog.) to paint the ships funnels in the historic colours? It would add to the the realism in the game (maybe).

Regards,
Dave Thomson
Letum
10-12-08, 06:05 AM
It can be done, but the work needed never to see the same funnel twice is insane.
iambecomelife
10-12-08, 03:54 PM
I am already working on this. I used Talbot Booth's merchant ship ID books to get some historical funnel colors for the merchantmen.

Here are some shots of ships from Standard Oil, Blue Funnel Line, Ithsmian Line, American Diamond Line, and American Export Lines.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Untitled-24.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Untitled-22-3.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Untitled-23-1.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Untitled-21-2.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/iambecomelife/Untitled-20-1.jpg
dthomo
10-12-08, 04:45 PM
If there is any information I can supply, especially for Liverpool based shipping lines, either anything I have myself or I can get from the Maritime Museum,:D I would be more than glad to help. I think this mod would be really good. Best wishes.
iambecomelife
10-12-08, 04:58 PM
If there is any information I can supply, especially for Liverpool based shipping lines, either anything I have myself or I can get from the Maritime Museum,:D I would be more than glad to help. I think this mod would be really good. Best wishes.

Thanks. I do have a few requests, in fact - check your PM box, please.

And the ship colors will change depending on the time of war, thanks to SH3 Commander's file swapping abilities. It's kind of a shame that for most of the war all these bright colors were covered up with grey paint!