Vallejo Kriegsmarine WWII Paint Set 71.615
Airbrush Paints for Kriegsmarine U-Boats, Destroyers, and WWII German Capital Ships
Painting WWII German naval subjects requires more than a simple mix of grey, black, red, and white. U-Boats, support vessels, destroyers, battleships, deck structures, hull markings, and weathered maritime surfaces all need controlled tones that look believable at scale. Vallejo Kriegsmarine WWII Paint Set gives ship modelers a coordinated Model Air palette designed for German Navy subjects from the Second World War.
This set corresponds to Vallejo reference 71.615, Kriegsmarine WWII German Colors. It includes eight Model Air colors selected to help reproduce common Kriegsmarine finishes with a more historically informed approach than a generic naval paint selection. The set is especially useful for 1/350, 1/700, 1/72, and other scale ship projects where thin airbrush layers, clean masking, and subtle color variation matter.
Unlike a random assortment of maritime colors, Vallejo Kriegsmarine WWII Paint Set is built around the main areas modelers need to paint on German naval subjects: upper camouflage colors, hull tones, identification markings, deck and superstructure details, weathered grey surfaces, and a satin protective finish for the final look.
Kriegsmarine WWII Set Contents
Each set includes eight Model Air bottles. The table below matches the correct Vallejo 71.615 contents and adds practical modeling uses for each shade.
| Ref. Number | Color Name | Historical / Set Use | Additional Modeling Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71.012 | Dark Green | Camouflage green used in selected Kriegsmarine schemes | Useful for U-Boat deck and pressure hull superstructure areas, disruptive camouflage, weathered green areas, small deck details, and maritime touch-ups. |
| 71.049 | Sea Grey | Core grey tone for German naval surfaces | Useful for hull sections, conning tower variants, superstructure, turrets, deck fittings, and weathered ship panels. |
| 71.050 | Light Gray | Lighter grey tone for scale contrast and highlights | Useful for upper structures, faded panels, lightened camouflage sections, and smaller-scale ship details. |
| 71.051 | Neutral Gray | Balanced grey for general naval use | Useful for above-waterline hull blending, secondary structures, gun mounts, and neutral grey transitions. |
| 71.084 | Fire Red | Boot topping and anti-fouling color below the waterline | Useful for lower hull details, red identification areas, boot topping, warning areas, and selected ship accents. |
| 71.119 | White Grey | RAL9002-style off-white / grey-white tone | Useful for pale structures, light weathering, faded panels, and softened highlights. |
| 71.121 | Light Gull Gray | Light grey variant for naval modulation | Useful for subtle panel contrast, upper surfaces, deck equipment, and faded grey effects. |
| 70.522 | Satin Varnish | Protective satin finish | Useful for sealing paintwork, reducing raw paint contrast, and giving ship models a controlled final sheen. |
U-Boat vs Surface Ship Color Guidance
U-Boat surfaces: Use 71.012 Dark Green for deck and pressure hull superstructure areas, while 71.049 Sea Grey, 71.050 Light Gray, and 71.051 Neutral Gray support conning tower variants, above-waterline hull areas, and grey camouflage differences.
Surface ships: Use the 71.049–71.121 grey range for hulls, turrets, deck structures, superstructure sections, destroyers, battleships, and capital ship camouflage. 71.084 Fire Red works for boot topping and selected lower hull details.
Sealing: Finish with 70.522 Satin Varnish when you want a protective coat that unifies the final look without making the ship appear overly glossy or dead-flat.
Why This Set Works for Kriegsmarine Builds
- Naval color focus: Built around grey, green, red, off-white, and satin finish tones used across WWII German naval modeling subjects.
- Airbrush-ready Model Air formula: Designed for thin coats, smooth coverage, and controlled application over fine ship details.
- Useful for U-Boats and surface ships: Works for submarines, support vessels, destroyers, battleships, deck fittings, hull sections, and weathered maritime finishes.
- Good for scale effect: The included light and neutral greys help modelers avoid flat, overly dark finishes on smaller-scale ships.
- Includes Satin Varnish: Gives builders a useful protective finish for sealing paintwork before or after selected weathering steps.
Most Kriegsmarine paint sets stop at the colors, but this one includes the finishing step. The 70.522 Satin Varnish in the set gives WWII naval subjects the right middle-point sheen: gloss can look too plastic and inaccurate, while flat matte can remove the subtle painted-metal depth that grey ship surfaces need. Satin helps seal the finished paintwork while keeping the grey tones controlled and believable.
Technical Specifications & Application Guide
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vallejo |
| Line | Model Air / Navy Color Series |
| Set Name | Kriegsmarine WWII German Colors |
| Official Product Code | 71.615 |
| EAN | 8429551716154 |
| Bottle Count | 8 Model Air bottles |
| Paint Type | Water-based acrylic airbrush paint set |
| Finish Range | Matte colors plus satin varnish |
| Main Theme | WWII German Navy / Kriegsmarine naval colors |
| Best Use | U-Boats, submarines, support ships, destroyers, battleships, hulls, decks, and naval camouflage |
| Recommended Scales | 1/350 capital ships and destroyers, 1/700 fleet and diorama builds, and 1/72 U-Boat kits |
| Application Method | Airbrush-ready paint for scale model finishing |
| Optional Thinning | Vallejo Airbrush Thinner or Flow Improver for ultra-fine work |
| Cleanup | Water while wet, or Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner when needed |
Beyond the Label
Vallejo Kriegsmarine WWII Paint Set is useful for more than simply painting a ship one flat grey. German naval subjects often need subtle shifts between hull grey, conning tower grey, light superstructure grey, weathered upper surfaces, and small color accents. If every area is painted with one grey, the model can look flat, heavy, or toy-like.
The greys in this set can be layered to create subtle panel variation, sun fading, salt-worn surfaces, and scale contrast. Dark Green can support selected U-Boat surfaces or camouflage schemes, while Fire Red is useful for lower hull accents and boot topping. White Grey and Light Gull Gray help soften upper structures and avoid an overly heavy finish, especially on smaller-scale kits.
For U-Boats, the set gives you a practical starting point for hull tones, deck sections, weathered surfaces, and satin sealing before additional washes or streaking effects. For larger German warships, the range of greys helps separate the hull, superstructure, fittings, and selected camouflage areas without forcing the modeler to build the palette one bottle at a time.
Building other WWII naval subjects? Browse the Vallejo Military Vehicles & Maritime Sets collection for Allied, Japanese, and other Axis naval paint sets. For RMS Titanic and ocean liner builds, see the Vallejo Titanic Colors set 71.646.
Pro Tips from the Studio
For best results, apply the colors over a smooth primed surface and build coverage in thin layers. Ship models often have delicate raised lines, portholes, deck equipment, railings, and molded detail, so heavy coats can hide the work that makes the model look sharp.
Use masking tape or flexible masking material for clean hull separations and camouflage shapes. For weathered ships, start with controlled base colors first, then add washes, streaking, fading, or drybrushing after the main paint has dried. Finish with the included Satin Varnish when you want to protect the surface and bring the final sheen under control.
For 1/700 scale ships, keep layers thin and avoid making the greys too dark. For 1/350 ships, use subtle panel variation to separate hull, deck, and superstructure zones. For 1/72 U-Boat kits, the larger surface area benefits from gradual fading, light weathering, and controlled satin sealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Kriegsmarine color scheme does the Vallejo 71.615 set cover?
The set covers WWII Kriegsmarine grey schemes used across U-Boats, surface ships, destroyers, and capital ships. The core greys help modelers build hull, conning tower, superstructure, and camouflage tone variations.
Why is a satin varnish included in the Kriegsmarine paint set?
Satin varnish gives WWII naval subjects the right level of final sheen. Gloss can look too plastic, while flat matte can remove depth from grey surfaces. The included 70.522 Satin Varnish helps seal completed paintwork and unify the finish.
What scale warship models does Vallejo 71.615 work with?
The set works well for 1/350 capital ships and destroyers, 1/700 fleet builds, and 1/72 U-Boat kits. Apply thinner layers at smaller scales to keep contrast readable without making the model look too dark.
Is this paint set accurate for WWII U-Boat models?
Yes. It includes useful tones for U-Boat decks, pressure hull superstructure, conning tower variants, above-waterline hull areas, and boot topping. Exact colors can vary by class, year, and theater, but this set gives a strong starting palette.
Which warship kits work best with Vallejo 71.615?
The set is suitable for popular WWII German naval kits, including 1/72 U-Boats, 1/350 battleships and destroyers, and 1/700 fleet-scale warships. It is useful for subjects like U-Boats, Bismarck, Tirpitz, destroyers, cruisers, and support vessels.