Here's more information:
When researching the colour schemes and finish of the Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 I found that as usual, there are different interpretations available. The official standards laid down during WW1 for the finishes to be applied to aircraft of the German Naval Air Service were dependent on the time of issue.
General Colour Schemes
Order ’B Nr F5952’ dated 28th March 1917:
Printed hexagonal fabric (hexagonal grey-brown, grey-blue and grey-violet) was to be applied to all upper surfaces (wing, fuselage, floats, tailplane and elevator). All side surfaces (fuselage, floats, rudder, tail fin and struts) were to be painted Grey-Blue. The underside surfaces to be a light Grey colour, but the underside surfaces of the wing (and presumably tail plane) were to be left as Clear Doped Linen (CDL). The painted surfaces were to be of a matt (flat) finish.
Later orders dated April 1918:
Printed hexagonal fabric (hexagonal grey-violet) was to be applied to all upper surfaces (wing, fuselage, floats, tailplane and elevator). All side surfaces (fuselage, floats, rudder, tail fin and struts) were to be painted Grey-Blue. The underside surfaces to be a light Blue or left as Clear Doped Linen (CDL). The painted surfaces were to be of a matt (flat) finish. There were caveats that stated for the duration of the war, aircraft surfaces (not those fabric covered) could be
painted with acid free tar based varnish. Additionally all naval G- and R– types should either be painted or have printed fabric applied, both of which should be three colour hexagonal.
References:
Osprey Aircraft of the Aces - Naval Aces of World War 1 (Part 2) by Jon Guttman:
The colour profiles shown for this aircraft have all upper surfaces (except the engine/cockpit areas) and including the two floats, in three colour hexagonal, undersides of the wing,
fuselage, tailplane and elevator as CDL and white on the rudder/fin. All side surfaces, including the two floats as being Grey-Blue.
Windsock Data File No.55 - Brandenburg W.29 by Peter M Grosz:
The colour profiles shown for this aircraft, particularly W.29 No.2532, appear to have all upper surfaces (except the engine/cockpit areas) and including the two floats, in three colour hexagonal, undersides of the wing and tailplane as CDL and white on the rudder/fin. All side surfaces as being Grey-Blue.
Fabric application.
Generally the patterned fabric was applied to the various surfaces as follows:
Wings - Length of the bolt of fabric applied chord wise (leading edge to trailing edge).
Ailerons and elevator - Length of the bolt of fabric applied span wise (left to right).
Tailplane - Length of the bolt of fabric applied span wise (left to right) although the Wingnut
decals have it as for the wings (chord wise).
Fuselage - Length of the bolt of fabric applied chord wise (front to rear).
