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Luftwaffe Paint Colours Revisited

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  • Member since
    November 2004
Luftwaffe Paint Colours Revisited
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Friday, June 17, 2011 6:01 AM

I am more a lurker than a poster, but I will help the folks here when I can, as you chaps help me when you can.

I am sure that this post will kick over a hornets nest over the colours used by the Luftwaffe during WW2. I am not going to go into the schemes used (splinter patterns, blotches etc, but just rather stick to the colours used.

As we know, the colours used changed greatly during the war as various factors caused rethinks and lots of field applied colours due to supply shortages etc This does infact mean that the modeller doing a late war Luftwaffe subject does have a lot more leeway in shades etc that an early war / Battle of Britain subject.

Does this mean you can just slap on any colour you want and you can get away with it? No not really. A field painted subject done by the ground crew would take in alot of operational charactistics such as environment, available paint and pilots wishes. A Factory applied job would be much neater, demarkation lines sharper and colours more evenly applied to the aircraft.

While recently doing some research in Germany on the S-100 class patrol boat I came across a total goldmine in a dusty archive. A complete hand annotated paint chip set for Wehmacht, Kreigsmarine and Luftwaffe lying undisturbed in a box. These chipsets had not seen the light of day in a very long time and are unfaded.

I am very lucky to be able to study  and shade match these chipsets. 99.9% are 100% shade matches to the Vallejo Model Color range and the odd one I have been able to get so close it really doesn't matter!

I realise that some out there will ridicule me and say that I am plugging Vallejo. I do like Vallejo, it is a good strong pigmented paint and will go a long way with not much! but the truth is that they do have a very wide range of colours and shades and despite the names on the bottles I am amazed by just how much these colours matched the chip sets.

My testing was done my painting squares of colour onto thick white card and then letting them dry for a full 24 hours before matching in natural daylight. Colours were then scanned into a PC and further matched using Photoshop and the PANTONE and MUNSELL colour systems to verify shade matches.

What you have to understand is that at the end of the way Germany underwent a quite comprehensive De-Nazifying process and lots of documentation was destroyed or replaced. The RAL system underwent a complete overhaul and any colours and shades used by the military services were removed or replaced. This means that this system is a non starter as far as period colour shading matching goes as the original shades used are no longer in that system, although alternate shades for the RAL colour are there, they are incorrect as far as modellers are concerned.

I have found that there are more colours in these chipsets than people realise and it may be that colour variants were used by different factories. shade differences also occur when different mediums are used to thing the seed colour prior to application.

Now don't shout at me just yet. I have varified these chipsets as being genuine. About 6 years ago I was luchy enough to find a very late war Panzer V Panther 'G' tank in a river in East Germany while on holiday and swimming in a river.

I am slowly restoring this tank to fully working condition and have managed to get the engine running after the best side of 70 years sunk in mud at the bottom of a river. The Panther, on recovery still had full paint and markings on and as one of the recovery crew said that if it wasn't for a siezed engine you could dry it out, clean it up, fuel, oil and water it and then drive it away!

Holding up the Wehmact chipsets to the tank paint job both the paint colours on the tank and chipset match exactly.

So here are my results for the Luftwaffe

RLM Number

Colour

Area/Notes

VMC

RLM 01

SILVER

 

997

RLM 02

RLM GREY

Interior Colour. Cockpit area until November 1941. Fuselage interior etc. All over on Prototypes

886

RLM 04

YELLOW

ID Markings

953

RLM 05

IVORY

Early colour for gliders

837

RLM 21

WHITE

ID Markings/ Winter Camouflage

951

RLM 22

BLACK

Night Camouflage.  Also used in conjunction with RLM 77 for top camouflage (November 1943 onwards)

950

RLM 23

RED

ID Markings/ Fire Extinguisher & Lines

817

RLM 24

BLUE

ID Markings/ Oxygen Cylinder &  Lines

963

RLM 25

GREEN

Coolant Lines

970

RLM 26

BROWN

Oil Lines

982

RLM 27

YELLOW

Fuel Lines

831

RLM 28

WINE RED

ID Markings

982

RLM 61

DARK BROWN  

Pre War Splinter Scheme

984

RLM 62

GREEN

Pre War Splinter Scheme

890

RLM63v.1

GREEN GREY

Pre-war splinter scheme.

987

RLM63v.2

LIGHT GREY

Pre-war splinter scheme

989

RLM65v.1

LIGHTBLUE

Lower Surfaces 1940

906

RLM65v.2

GREY BLUE

Lower Surfaces  November 1941

907

RLM 66

BLACK GREY  

Cockpit interior after November 1941/cockpit panel surfaces.

866

RLM 70

BLACK GREEN 

Steel prop blades & splinter camouflage

897

RLM 71

DARKGREEN

wood prop blades with a semi-gloss clear coat protectant & splinter camouflage

893

RLM 72

GREEN

Seaplane splinter camouflage. Also applied to other maritime aircraft

980

RLM 73

GREEN

Seaplane splinter camouflage. Also applied to other maritime aircraft

895

RLM74v.1 

GREY GREEN

Camouflage of fighters 1941-1944

867

RLM74v.2 

GREY GREEN

Camouflage of fighters variant 1941-1944

991

RLM 75

VIOLET GREY

Camouflage of fighters 1941-1944

869

RLM 76

LIGHT BLUE

Lower surfaces on fighter a/c. Also used for upper surface of  night fighters

907

RLM 77

LIGHT GREY

night fighters upper surface

989

RLM 78

BRIGHT BLUE

Lower surfaces of Mediterranean scheme.

961

RLM 79 

SAND  YELLOW

Mediterranean scheme

843

RLM 79a

SAND BROWN

Mediterranean scheme

874

RLM 80

OLIVE GREEN

Blotches in Mediterranean scheme

894

RLM81v.1

BROWN VIOLET

Late-war topside camouflage

873

RLM81v.2

BROWN VIOLET

Late-war topside camouflage variant

887

RLM81v.3

BROWN VIOLET

Late-war topside camouflage variant

889

RLM82v.1

LIGHT GREEN 

Late-war topside camouflage. Often confused with 83

823

RLM82v.2

DARKGREEN

Late-war topside camouflage variant

891

RLM83v.1

DARK GREEN

Late-war topside camouflage. Often confused with 82

894

RLM83v.2

OLIVE GREY

Late-war topside camouflage variant

892

RLM83v.3

DARK OLIVE

Mix of  V.1 & V.2 Hand notated mix of  60% v.1 40% V.2

 

RLM84v.1

GREEN BLUE

Not official colour. Field Mixed examples of RLM 65, RLM 76, RLM 78

 

RLM84v.2

GREEN BLUE

Not official colour. Field Mixed examples of RLM 65, RLM 76, RLM 78

 

RLM84v.3

GREEN BLUE

Not official colour. Field Mixed examples of RLM 65, RLM 76, RLM 78

 

RLM99

GREEN

Not official Colour but listed and notated as an alternative to RLM 83

974

Splinter camouflage (green) -All aircraft except sea-aircraft until the end of 1939. All bomber, transport aircrafts and battle-aircrafts 65/70/71 throughout war except Fighters and Night Attack aircraft.

France and Battle of Britain fighters: often 02/65/71

Camouflage of fighters from 1941 until 1944 74/75/76

Camouflage of fighters 1944-45 76(84)/81/82(83)

Seaplanes 72/73/65

 

RML 84 V1-3. Hand notated that these paints were mixed and applied by ground crews on base. February 1945 onwards. % mix can be left up to modeller.

The use of white as winter camouflage tended to be whitewash as used by ground forces.

Comments chaps please!

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Allentown, PA
Posted by BaBill212 on Friday, June 17, 2011 6:31 AM

Great post, Snap

Very nicely done,,,,     Thanks for all the good info

Enjoy the ride!

 

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Democratic Peoples Republic of Illinois
Posted by Hercmech on Friday, June 17, 2011 6:42 AM

VERY extensive reference chart. Thank you for all of your hard work on it.


13151015

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: South Carolina
Posted by jetmodeler on Friday, June 17, 2011 7:33 AM

That could really be useful. Thanks for posting.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Friday, June 17, 2011 8:22 PM

82, 83, 84,  Oh No!      82, 83, 84,  Oh No!     82, 83, 84,  Oh No!

But seriously, great post.  Get that box to the Smithsonian, or a British Museum, or somewhere.

 

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Saturday, June 18, 2011 2:45 AM

Nice job, alot of work gone into that. I was woundering what colour i needed for German nightfighters. And now i find out its the one col,our Xtracolor don't do.

Thanks for posting that.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Saturday, June 18, 2011 8:41 AM

jeaton01

82, 83, 84,  Oh No!      82, 83, 84,  Oh No!     82, 83, 84,  Oh No!

But seriously, great post.  Get that box to the Smithsonian, or a British Museum, or somewhere.

 

Thanks. I know that there is much argument over RLM 82, 83 & 84. The fact that the complete paint chip for the Luftwaffe is about 24 pages long along with both printed and hand notated details and paint chips.

There are definate paint chips for RLM 82 and 83 and the variants for those numbers. Those I have matched 100% and listed above, so to produce RLM 84 and it's varants you have a fighting start.

What you have to keep in mind is that at this stage of the war German industry was in chaos. Lots of materiel was painted in the field, especially aircraft. RLM 84 was a paper creation so that field crews could mix and match from stocks without fear of getting dragged away by military police or Gestapo under treason crimes etc. Each crew/staffel etc could happily create their own colour variants under RLM 84 as there was no official shade(s) for that one and both written and printed notations have no indication as to % mix of the shades authorised to mix up RLM 84

The exception to this is RLM 83 V.3 which is hand annotated to be a 60/40 mix of the RLM 83 V.1 & V.2 shades. This I have put in the notes box on my original post.

What does this mean in modellers usage terms. It means that because there is no official shade but a basic guide to what shades to use ( I would avoid RLM83 v.3 as that is a mix in itself) to mix RLM 84 and its shade variants that the modeller has a wide open mixing opportunity and can be guided by photographs of actual aircraft.

Note of Caution.

Research can only take you so far. Colour period photos have to be used as a very basic guide along with reference to what colour was used when. WWII colour photos are rare, and also because of the colour film was not really as good as people think it was, along with over and under exposure colours that appear are sometimes not as true as you think they are. Also you have to take note of colour fading and useage under combat conditions. staining, patch painting after damage repair etc also alters our perceptions on what the actual colours are.... and really - who the heck can tell the proper colours from a black and white WWII under or over exposed photo?

What does it come down to?

Experience! that's it. Ask the question... Does it Look right? if it does then is usually is, but getting a paint job right is about experimentation and practice!

 

And as to the box full of information. That belongs to a company in Germany and I have promised to take it back to their archive. It is up to them to donate it to a museum, but it usefu to them as part of their companies history. It's only on loan to me until I have completed all the translation and paint matching.

James

  • Member since
    August 2009
Posted by cvsusn on Saturday, June 18, 2011 11:01 AM

snapdragonxxx,

Your post provides great information.  I'd hope the company that had the information would make their chips available to museums.

While I've yet to get to a WWII German A/C up on the workbench I do have a few questions:

1.  Is it your intent to do a compare and contrast with model paints from other model paint manufacturers?  I fully appreciate expenditure of limited time. 

2.  Would you and would the company be willing to share info with IPMS who may be able to fund further in-depth research?  Model paint manufacturers?

3.  Is it your opinion that Vallejo paints are accurate across all major countries participating in WWII?

4.  You made reference to the Wehrmacht in your original post.  Wehrmacht covers all services.  Is that what you meant to convey?  Does Vallejo paint accuracy also apply to early German armor?  I have personal interest in this area with a Pzkw I and Pzkw II in various stages of completion.

Again, thank you for sharing your efforts.  Most appreciated.

Carl

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Saturday, June 18, 2011 1:37 PM

Hi Carl,

Thanks for your post, questions and comments. I will answer them in order.

1.  It will be possible to cross reference colours through various ranges of paints and paint manufacturers. Vallejo do have a cross reference section on their website and there are other websites that do colour matching between paint manufacturers. I used Vallejo becase of the following factors:-

A) It is a paint that I have used for a number of years and I find that it is an excellent quality paint with a strong pigment and good coverage. It is also possible to thin this stuff down with normal tapwater for use with an airbrush (not that I have one as yet!) therefore a bottle goes a very long way which cuts costs down!

B)  Vallejo have a number of different ranges, but their Model Color range is a large one and has many different shades available

C) I have quite a few bottles in my box and so seemed to be a good place to start.

D) It doesn't smell or cause me to see large green spiders climbing up the walls which is a good thing!

 

2. I don't know about the company in Germany. You must realise that there is still a stigma attached to these kind of things and information. It is slowly being overcome, but I did have to do lots of persuading and promising to get my grubby little paws on this documantation. I will talk to them, but I can't make any promises. I will only be too glad to make my own matching results to the IPMS and their members available because it is in all model makers interests if that is acceptable and if any magazine wishes me to write an article or two I will only be too happy to do so.

3. This I am not sure of. Certainly the same shades and colours could be used by different military arms and countries and indeed I have found a 100% shade match for RAF Sky in the Vallejo paint range and I am sure that other matches for the RAF could be found, but I would need samples or original unfaded paint chips to be able to match. It would be an interesting concept bo be able to do this just to see the result.

4. I used the Wehrmacht as a term of reference for the Standard German army of the period and lumping the SS under that roof. Although they were too different arms they still used the same paint!

Indeed the Paint accuracy does go as far as pre and early WWII for German armour, and to start you off here is my listing up to the chage in 1943.

Wehrmacht/SS Vehicle Colours

1935-1939 Anthrazitgrau Base Colour

RAL 7016

Anthrazitgrau

Factory Base Coat

 

898  

RAL 8002

Signalbraun

Disruptive Pattern

 

926  

Vehicles drafted in 1939 were painted in this pattern. The base colour dominated the disruptive pattern by a factor of 2 to 1, with soft contours between colours.

1940 Panzergrau Base Colour

Panzergrau (HM 1940, Nr. 864 of 31.06.1940)

RAL 7021

Schwarzgrau

Factory Base Coat

 

862

Panzergrau replaced the earlier two-colour pattern in 1940, in order to save paint. Panzergrau was discontinued in February of 1943. Vehicles in operation were not to be repainted. Instead, camouflage paste was used to create two and three colour patterns over the Panzergrau base colour. Armoured vehicles at Kursk in 1943 are documented in Panzergrau with Dunkelgelb patches, typically in the recommended ratio of 2 to 1.

Afrikakorps

1941 Pattern North Africa

Afrikakorps Disruptive Pattern (Heeresmitteilung 1941, Nr. 281)

RAL 8000

Grünbraun

Base Colour

 

879

RAL 7008

Grüngrau

Disruptive Pattern

 

880

Panzergrau vehicles deployed to Africa were repainted in the new base colour with disruptive patches. The base colour dominated the disruptive pattern by a factor of 2 to 1, with soft contours between colours.

1942 Pattern North Africa/Crete

Afrikakorps Disruptive Pattern (HM 1942, Nr. 315 of 25.03.1942)

RAL 8020

Gelbbraun

Base Colour

 

847

RAL 7027

Sandgrau

Disruptive Pattern

 

819

The new pattern for Africa was introduced in March of 1942. Available paint and camouflage paste of the earlier pattern was to be used up, resulting in a mixture of patterns in the interim period. The new Africa pattern was also used in Crete (HM 1942, Nr. 600). Water soluble and removable camouflage paste was to be used to paint vehicle tarps.

 

Snow Camouflage

Heeresmitteilung 1941, Nr. 1128 of 18th November 1941

RAL 9010

WEISS

Field Applied

 

 

 

 

 

951

Applies to the application of snow camouflage to vehicles operating in Norway, Finland, and Russia. Later expanded to western front units. White camouflage paste was to be applied over the Panzergrau base coat, to be washed off again with water when the snow melted. However, supply problems on the Eastern Front were so severe that this instruction could not be followed. Replacement vehicles, and divisions newly deployed to the front were painted as required, but units already engaged had to use limewash or whitewash  to camouflage their vehicles. This was to be water soluble so it could be removed in spring

Other Colours

Other Colours used on Vehicles and where.

RAL 7011

Eisengrau

Reichsbahn lokomotive colour used until the summer of 1942. It is likely that locomotive factories occasionally used supplies of this colour to paint tanks when RAL 7021 was not available. This may explain why some Tiger I tanks manufactured by Henschel display relatively light grey colours.

989

RAL3000

Feuerot

Hatch handles and Hatch wheels on Armoured Vehicles

957

RAL 1001

RAL 1001a

Elfenbein V.1

Elfenbein V.2

Armoured Vehicle Interior

No notes on actual use.

918

976

RAL 9002

Grauweiss

Armoured Vehicle Interior (May - September 1944)

993

RAL 3009

Oxidrot

Red Oxide Primer, 1939 - May 1945.

Vehicle base colour, October - November 1944.

982

RAL 7008

Grüngrau

Interior armoured vehicle colour used on transmissions.

880

RAL 6006

Feldgrau, Nr. 3

Wehrmacht Feldgrau used from 1935 to 1945 to paint ammunition boxes and equipment.

888

 I hope this helps and answers your questions. You might fins that the Panzergrau base colour darker than you expect, but it is a 100% shade match. I will post my work for the German land forces in the armour forum wher I am sure that there will be a discussion

James

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Florida
Posted by STFD637 on Saturday, June 18, 2011 4:30 PM

Snap:

Thanks for this post!! Very thorough. I have actually been toying with the idea of slowly replacing my paints (as they go out) with Vallejo. I have looked over the lines and they do have a very extensive selection. The charts you listed help are very helpful, as it is hard to gauge the colors by looking and "chips" online. Many thanks.

"If a lie is told often, and long enough, it becomes reality!"

Travis/STFD637

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, June 18, 2011 4:59 PM

Nice find and work there! Any chance you can match the paint chips to Humbrol paints?

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, June 19, 2011 7:33 AM

Now thats interesting. We had this disscussion a few weeks ago about early war German armour being two colours upto the invasion of france. I had assumed it was Pz Grey, didn't realise it was 7016. Thanks for that info.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Spring Branch, TX
Posted by satch_ip on Sunday, June 19, 2011 9:10 AM

STFD637

Snap:

Thanks for this post!! Very thorough. I have actually been toying with the idea of slowly replacing my paints (as they go out) with Vallejo. I have looked over the lines and they do have a very extensive selection. The charts you listed help are very helpful, as it is hard to gauge the colors by looking and "chips" online. Many thanks.

Like you, I've been slowly moving towards Vallejo paints.  After watching Mig's video on acrylic paints, the one where he finishes and weathers a Pz II completely with acrylics, I'm sold. 

Snap, are the Model Air colors the same as the Model Color ones?

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Sunday, June 19, 2011 4:18 PM

As I don't yet use an airbrush ( but I am toying with the ideaI I have no real knowledge about the model air range. I do know that the range is not a big one at the moment. I would have thought that most colours would be matched with the Model Color range, but until I have a play with them myself I can't say.

I will have a look round Vallejo's website and see what I come up with and report back to this thread

James

  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Sunday, June 19, 2011 4:49 PM

Having surfed around Vallejo's website They do have a listing in the model air section for RLM colours

RLM-02 Grau 044
RLM-65 Hellblau 008
RLM-66 Schwartzgrau 055
RLM-70 Schwartzgrün 021
RLM-71 Dunkelgrün 015
RLM-73 Grün 016
RLM-74 Graugrün 054
RLM-75 Grauviolet 052
RLM-76 Lichtblau 046
RLM-79 Sandgelb 034
RLM-80 Olivegrün 017
RLM-81 Braunviolet 043
RLM-82 Lichtgrün 022
RLM-83 Dunkelgrün 013

I can also add These to the list

057 Black  RLM 22
001 White  RLM 21

There are quite a few colours and shades MIA in the model air range as of yet. If these colours are shade accurate then Battle of Britain fighters and bombers are doable, as is middle and late war. Cockpit interiors (RLM 02 & RLM 66) is in there. What is missing are colours for hydraulic, air, fuel lubricant and water lines, one of the seaplane exterior colours and the underside Med theatre colour to name but a few.

THere is a model air 16 box RLM set available. How close they actually are I have No idea, perhaps someone with an airbrush would like to do a comparison between the model Color and the model air or if some kind person has an airbrush that they could kindly donate to a military veteran??? Wink

James

  • Member since
    June 2011
  • From: New Zealand
Posted by stevehnz on Thursday, June 23, 2011 4:25 AM

Heck James, this is an amazing thread. Maybe I'm a bit impressionable seeing as I'm just beginning to dabble in the dark side (Luftwaffe camo colors) but as I see it your information is some of the most important on RLM colours I've seen in a while of prowling the net in search of the definitive RLM reference. While this may not be it, in fact I've come to believe the subject is so huge & at the same time ill defined there possibly cannot be such a thing, you have helped to put this in some sort of handy context. It is good to see that many of your matches agree with Peter Hawkins recently published chart, though a few do not. I's love to see some side by side matches of your Vallejo chips with the corresponding RLM chips. A side by side match like this goes a long way to compensate for differences in monitor settings. I guess I should now confess to being a great fan of Vallejo Model Color so my views might be a tad biased. I now need to get the ones I don't have & make up my own reference chart. Any chance of sharing the Vallejo RAF Sky match up? There was a long thread on this on Britmodeller not so long ago & from memery, Vallejo didn't do so well so maybe the right one wasn't tried. Thanks again for a truly valuable htread.

Steve.

  • Member since
    October 2013
  • From: Luxembourg
Posted by LionOfLux on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 5:10 AM
Sorry to resurect this post, but I've been cross-referencing my own personal Vallejo/RLM list with this one. I got a lot of them right, but as I wasn't happy with what I had in the 74/75/76 range, I'm glad this got posted.
I downloaded a color chart from Vallejo, made a custom RLM color library in Photoshop and came up with a little graphic to show the different camo schemes (using VMC colors) at a glance.
Here it goes:

  • Member since
    October 2015
  • From: Quebec, Canada
Posted by SgtDannySgt on Monday, October 19, 2015 3:48 PM

Thanks very much for taking the time to post these. Although new to the hobby, quite new actually, I want to endeavour to get the painting correct. This will assist me greatly. Great job!

Danny

Building 1/144 H.M.C.S. Snowberry by Revell of Germany

  • Member since
    October 2015
  • From: Quebec, Canada
Posted by SgtDannySgt on Sunday, October 25, 2015 7:53 PM
I bought a Revell ME-109G-10 1:48 kit last week. When I checked for what colours I needed, I saw RLM27 was needed for part of the cowling and the rudder. I later attended a HS and took a Villejo clearly marked as RLM27 but that RLM27 was more beige than yellow. In looking over the different colours with the store owner, we both agreed that RLM04 was the closest yellow for my kit. Am a tad confused as the kit clearly states that I needed RLM27 but just doesn't seem the correct colour. I bought the RLM04. Any insight would be appreciated. Would there have been a mistake in the kit instructions? Wouold the RLM27 have been the correct colour? Thanks. Danny

Building 1/144 H.M.C.S. Snowberry by Revell of Germany

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Indiana USA
Posted by BlackTulip109 on Sunday, October 25, 2015 10:50 PM

Years ago MONOGRAM PUBLISHING did an extensive camoflage notebook of Luftwaffe Colours covering the periods Spanish Civil War through the end of WW2.

They also included paint chips!!!!!

Also Italian Colours were added as a bonus.

I have found this notebook to be extremely useful and the Smithsonian Silver Hill restoration folks make use of those chips also 

BUT 

What you found is a truly like a time machine to the past.

I too have recently (early this year) discovered Vallejo Paints and have to admit they are wonderful!! Easy to use, easy to thin and clean. I'm finding it hard to part with my extensive enamel collection of a couple 100 tins of Precision, Compucolour, and Humbrol paints!! I do have an exhaust booth set up in the basement but with time always at a premium the Vallejo wins out most of the time.

Also a company out of Poland "Hitaki" seems to have some promising colours too any opinion on them??

  • Member since
    June 2015
Posted by Samurai on Monday, October 26, 2015 2:22 PM
I have the same kit and just noticed that it does say RLM 27, never noticed it and just planed to use the MM RLM 04 I already have. Another error on the same kit, they have RLM 75 listed twice as both Dark Green and Gray,
  • Member since
    October 2015
  • From: Quebec, Canada
Posted by SgtDannySgt on Monday, October 26, 2015 3:37 PM
Thanks Sam, so they do make mistakes!! Danny

Building 1/144 H.M.C.S. Snowberry by Revell of Germany

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Northern hemisphere - most of the time-
Posted by blkhwkmatt on Monday, October 26, 2015 4:51 PM

Great information.  Wondering if you would be able to PM me the spreadsheet as the new format cuts off the text a bit.

 

Thanks,

Matt

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur!!! - Anything said in Latin sounds profound!

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 7:16 PM
Althought I dont care for Vallejo for RLM (I use Gunze), this was interesting and informative. Thanks..

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2016
  • From: Ice coated north 40 saskatchewan
Posted by German Armour on Thursday, March 31, 2016 9:52 AM

Hi, would you have tested vallejo for the Ral paint change after 1943? The post is a great reference for modelers looking for an accurate paint chart. Late war, 1944-45 paint chips, color charts and their associated materials are very hard to find , there are lots of varations and original chip set cost an great deal of money. Because of the Ral paint change arfter the war lots of the colors aren't accurate if looking at their website.

 Never give up, never quit, never stop modelling.Idea

 

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: Olmsted Township, Ohio
Posted by lawdog114 on Friday, April 1, 2016 9:35 PM
Thanks alot. I have it bookmarked for future reference.

 "Can you fly this plane and land it?...Surely you can't be serious....I am serious, and don't call me Shirley"

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2013
Posted by AdeB on Saturday, April 2, 2016 1:18 AM

Glad this has been posted - it saves me raising a new topic that's been bugging me.

I have the AK Air Luftwaffe set and have used the RLM74/75 paints for camo. I never seem to get the right look. The two colours just seem to be to similar and any definition of the camo is lost.

Is it my clunky skills? is it these shades? Any other manufacturers have better versions?

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Luftwaffebuilder on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 5:16 PM
Hello to all, first and wants to say that I am new to this forum, and that I am new to the modeling field when it comes to putting together luftwaffe planes. I have a lot to learn, and I'm sure that I will learn by trial-and-error, but your post when it comes to luftwaffe plane paints was amazing. I've already gone through my first error, I tried to paint my model using airbrush paint. This was my first mistake. Other than buying an air paint sprayer, I like to use brushes, I wanted to know if all the paints that you listed are regular model color paints that can be used with brushes?, and can these pants be found on this website? I'm sorry in advance for any question that might seem foolish, but I am sure that I will be learning a lot on this forum. Thank you for any help in advance.
  • Member since
    November 2004
Posted by snapdragonxxx on Friday, July 5, 2019 11:42 AM

I should update this as Vallejo have now released new paints that are original chipset matches.

Luftwaffe builder, welcome to the forum.

I would advise you to move to an airbrush as the updated listing will be for the Vallejo model air range. These are formulated for airbrush use and you will get much better results with them. You can use a paint brush, but the results will not be the same at all.

  • Member since
    July 2019
Posted by Luftwaffebuilder on Friday, July 5, 2019 1:56 PM
Thanks much, so I can pretty much guess that the Vallejo website is the best place to buy these pants, correct? And as an aside, what is a pretty decent airbrush for me to buy, there are so many around, and I want to make sure that I buy something that's not too expensive, but something that's reliable. Thank you very much for your help, I will post how I'm coming along very shortly.
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