"Painting the Variag (Varyag)" Topic

So it was in the battle of Chemulpo Bay at the very beginning of the Russo-Japanese War (2/9/1904, got scuttled & then refloated by the Japanese.)
The Wartimes Journal painting guide suggests a khaki color.
A Google search returns either white or gray ships.
E-Bay has a beautiful light gray one for sale.
Any suggestions on color?
At this point I am leaning toward white.
I am doing the ships that began the war in Port Arthur in white. Looks neat at least, & the Baltic Fleet in "lamp black."

auction

See my take… TMP link

From what I have read & according to the paint guide in the WTJ you picked what is the correct paint scheme. I will probably still go for a sexier option.

JPK

I have done my Varyag in white after searching for information on the internet, it looks nice and seems reasonable that there wasn't time to repaint it like the rest of the Pacific Fleet. It also provides a nice bit of variety with the rest which I've done in a dull green that might pass for khaki.

Thanks for the feedback.
I think I will paint all of the ships that were in Port Arthur in 2/1904 & the Varyag with white hulls. Paint the Valdivostok cruisers in olive drab (per WTJ) & do the Baltic fleet with black or lamp black hulls.

JPK

The Kagero publication "Varyag" by Stefan Draminski states "At the turn of September and October the cruiser was dry-docked and repainted into olive camouflage scheme on all vertical surfaces".

I also have a copy of "Collier's Photographic Record of the Russo-Japanese War" which has a photo on page 32 stating "The Russian Ships At Chemulpo Before The Battle" in which the Varyag and Korietz are being led by another vessel which has an obviously white hull while the Varyag and Korietz appear to be a much darker monotone…

Would the model in the museum in St Petersburg be proof enough?

They have 100 model ships there. Not sure how to look at them other than to go.

link

I have a few photos saved off the net showing the model in the "Central Naval Museum" in St.Petersburg. It is painted in the standard white scheme with buff funnels with black tops.

All ships of 1st Pacific squadron were painted before the war in dark olive color – 3 parts of black + 1 part of yellow ochre.

For wargaming purposes I mixed 1 part of black and 3 parts of yellow ochre/sand paints and have got intended result (for 1/6000)