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Luftwaffe Camouflage in WW2

by Carlos Schneerson
5
Comments

Luftwaffe Camouflage Colors (RLM)

Type of AC

 1936 1939 1940 1941-1944 Late 1944-1945 1945
Fighters 02 or 63 70-71/65 02-71/65 74-75/76 81-82/76 or 82-83/76 or 75-83/76 82-83/76 or 81-83/76 or 81-82/76
Night Fighters - - 70-71/65 75/76 75/76 75/76
Bombers 61-62-63/65 70-71/65 70-71/65 70-71/65 81-82/76 81-82/76
Night Bombers - - 70-71/22 70-71/22 81-82/76 81-82/76
Transport 61-62-63/65 70-71/65 70-71/65 70-71/65 81-82/76 81-82/76
Desert - - 70-71/65 79-80/78 - -
Maritime - 72-73/65 72-73/65 72-73/65 72-73/65 72-73/65

How to read the camouflage chart:  The numbers are in the following format: xx - yy/zz, where xx - yy are the RLM numbers of the colors of the uperside camo and zz is the RLM colour of the undersides of the aircraft.

These are the most common and used combination of colors for German aircraft camouflage but you can find some exceptions that I don't want to get into.  I think the average modeler, armed with this information, will find a simpler way to achieve the task of painting German aircraft.

References

Luftwaffe 1935-45-Vols 1 & 2-Jaroslaw Wrovel-(A.J. Press) 1994

Luftwaffe 1935-45-Vol 4-Robert Michulec-(A.J. Press) 1995

The Modeler's Luftwaffe Painting Guide with Color Chart-Smith, J.R., Pentland, G.G. & Lutz, R.P., 1979-Kookaburra Technical Publications

Urban Fredriksson's Color Reference Charts-Germany-(IPMS Stockholm)

Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage-Part Three-by David E. Brown

Hyperscale Web Site

Jens Popp Scale Model Web Site

The World of Colors

About the Author

About Carlos Schneerson (csch)
FROM: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA


Comments

Merlin
Hi there Tin Can Thanks for the tip... that's a really neat colour cross reference. One to keep handy! All the best Rowan
JUN 24, 2003 - 11:25 AM
ladymodelbuilder
Thanks for the cool tips Carlos..... This is definetly a keeper. (++)
JUN 24, 2003 - 11:41 AM
SniperSoldier
GREAT TIP TINCAM - THANKS ROBERTO
JUN 24, 2003 - 10:46 PM
JPTRR
Carlos, Thank you! Here are some URLs you mentioned, or not. I have a b'zillion of them, many duplicates, and they list RLM and how to obtain them. A lot comparing old Humbrol with new Humbrol, and mixing of discontinued colors like RLM 72 & 73, and matching to Polly Scale, MM, Tamiya, etc. LINK LINK LINK
JUN 27, 2003 - 03:09 AM
Puma112
Way cool and thank you!!
JUN 27, 2003 - 04:24 AM
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Copyright ©2021 by Carlos Schneerson. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. The views and opinions expressed herein are solely the views and opinions of the authors and/or contributors to this Web site and do not necessarily represent the views and/or opinions of AeroScale, KitMaker Network, or Silver Star Enterrpises. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AeroScale. All rights reserved. Originally published on: 2003-06-24 00:00:00. Unique Reads: 17403