SMS Emden never got a paint job

[1st ANZAC]

We see so many models that are made of SMS Emden but I fail to understand why it is persistently painted in the Tonal grey of the ​imperial German Navy

When Admiral Spee left Qingdao with the East Asia Squadron it was still painted in the pre-war colonial two tone brown and white. There is reference to this in Robert K Masie's book Castles of Steel .

When then would Emden have not only the time to repaint but also a dry dock or at least a berth to be able to repaint on its course to the west.

Am I missing something here?

Best

Darren

[Auimfo]

Can't help you with it's colours - I've only ever seen it in black and white!

[Lancashire Fusilier]

We see so many models that are made of SMS Emden but I fail to understand why it is persistently painted in the Tonal grey of the ​imperial German Navy

When Admiral Spee left Qingdao with the East Asia Squadron it was still painted in the pre-war colonial two tone brown and white. There is reference to this in Robert K Masie's book Castles of Steel .

When then would Emden have not only the time to repaint but also a dry dock or at least a berth to be able to repaint on its course to the west.

Am I missing something here?

Best

Darren

Darren,

Here is a link to a model maker, who when making a model of the Emden did use the brown decking.

http://www.paulooimodelworks.com/2013/01/battle-of-penang-part-2-sms-emden/

Also, here is a painting on the Emden in action, painted by German marine artist Claus Bergan.

Claus Bergen (1885–1964)

German illustrator, marine and landscape painter, who recorded German navy actions in the two World Wars. The son of the artist Fritz Bergen, he trained at the Royal Academy in Munich under Karl von Marr. He began his career as illustrator of Karl May’s Winnetou and travel stories and in 1910 his illustrations were exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Brussels. He travelled extensively to Norway, England, the Mediterranean and America, exhibiting and furthering his training. Appointed Marine Painter to Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1914, he made numerous dramatic paintings of U-boats and their crews. ‘The Liner Columbus at New York’ (National Maritime Museum, London) is a work painted in the United States in 1924, while ‘The Admiral von Scheer Bombarding the Spanish Coast’ (1937, Navy Memorial Museum, Washington) records German action in the Spanish Civil War. As a member of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) he worked mostly on large-scale official commissions which ceased with the war. Throughout his career he also painted smaller pictures showing sailing boats, fishing villages, harbour and coastal views, including those of Polperro in Cornwall. In 1963 he presented the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, with ‘The Atlantic’ and the British Admiralty with the painting of Nelson’s flagship Victory.

Not sure if any of this helps ?

Regards,

LF

[SWET59]

Darren

The Germans had both the facilities and the ingenuity to not only to "do a paint job", but to take Emden's first victim, the Russian auxiliary cruiser Ryazan, to Tsingtao where she took on board the guns and name of the old German cruiser, the Cormoran. As far as SMS Emden was concerned as a ruse de guerre von Muller has a dummy fourth funnel added to the Emden and when flying the White Ensign she has more than a passing resemblance to HMS Yarmouth. In fact, Early in the morning of 28 October, all was quiet in Penang Harbour. On board the Russian Cruiser, Jemtchug, with its Captain ashore, the lookouts notice what appears to be the British Cruiser Yarmouth, with its four funnels and flying the White Ensign. To their amazement the Ensign disappears, to be replaced by the Battle Ensign of the Kaiser’s Navy. It is the Emden and she opens fire with devastating effect.

Peter

[Simon Mills]

We see so many models that are made of SMS Emden but I fail to understand why it is persistently painted in the Tonal grey of the ​imperial German Navy

When Admiral Spee left Qingdao with the East Asia Squadron it was still painted in the pre-war colonial two tone brown and white. There is reference to this in Robert K Masie's book Castles of Steel .

When then would Emden have not only the time to repaint but also a dry dock or at least a berth to be able to repaint on its course to the west.

Am I missing something here?

Best

Darren

I'm not an expert on the colours of the German vessels, but according to Groner (1982) from 14th May 1910 all German vessels abroad were painted grey, starting with the vessels of the East Asia station with vessels at other stations following at the next opportunity. I think that the one exception was the Loreley, which retained the white/yellow of the 1890 foreign-posting colour scheme.

[frev]

From Edwin Hoyt's 'The Last Cruise of the Emden' (p.14/15):

[1910] "In Apia the Emden joined Germany's East Asia Cruiser Squadron, led by the armoured cruiser Scharnhorst, with her sister ship, the Gneisenau. Now she wore the colors she would bear until war came. Her hull was silver gray, very nearly white, and her three tall funnels and superstructure were darker gray."

Cheers, Frev

[1st ANZAC]

From Edwin Hoyt's 'The Last Cruise of the Emden' (p.14/15):

[1910] "In Apia the Emden joined Germany's East Asia Cruiser Squadron, led by the armoured cruiser Scharnhorst, with her sister ship, the Gneisenau. Now she wore the colors she would bear until war came. Her hull was silver gray, very nearly white, and her three tall funnels and superstructure were darker gray."

Cheers, Frev

Dear Frev,

I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. That was exactly what I was looking for. - Thanks awfully.

Darren

[Felix C]

Ironically I came across the inserted photo and note the two tone appearance. This is Sept. 1914 with the stopped S.S. Killin in attendance. Photo from Markonnia I believe. 

Edited 23 March , 2021 by Felix C