11/01/2026
The question of which color TCG Dumlupınar D-6 (ex-USS Blower SS-325) was painted—whether it was entirely black or a two-tone gray and black—had become quite a confusing issue. Following my research, I believe I have finally resolved this problem.
I couldn't find any very clear photographs or documents of the Dumlupınar that could serve as a direct reference. Most of the available photos were low quality and indistinct.
Since I couldn't make progress that way, I decided to take a different approach. During my ongoing research, I managed to find photographs of two of Dumlupınar's sister ships dating from 1953-54.
In the black-and-white photos of these two ships, it is very clearly visible that they were painted in a gray-black scheme.
Additionally, when these ships joined the Turkish Navy in 1950, they were given hull numbers such as D-1, D-2, D-3, and so on. In 1952, the "D" prefix was removed and replaced with their actual names.
I might be mistaken, but after seeing these details, I am now convinced that in 1953, the Dumlupınar also had its name written on the sail and featured the gray-black paint scheme. Unfortunately, there is no record or photo available that can serve as a definitive reference.
For this reason, I have decided to complete the model in the gray-black scheme, with the name written on the sail.
