HI Chaps.
I will be joining in with the GM shortly with Trumpeter's 1/32 Stuka B2.
As I have been reading through the build I would like to share something with you all.
I have been doing much research into German colours during WWII for Air, ground and naval forces.
It seems that the general consensus is that up to late 1941 all cockpits were painted RLM 02. This is not the case.
RLM is a general overall primer colour which was used to combat corrosion and at the start of the war and initial stages of the BoB was part of the ME109 upper surface splinter pattern.
During my research I came across painting orders which stated that transport and bomber aircraft from 1934 up to 1942 had their interiors painted with either RLM41 (VMC 70989) or the darker RLM 42 (VMC 70869).
New aircraft coming off the production line from April 1942 for bomber and transport were to be painted RLM66
The painting orders do not specify which aircraft, just bomber and transport types. As the Stuka is a tactical ground support bombing aircraft one can justifiably and reasonably say that the B2 variant's interior was Either RLM 41 or RLM 42. Personally I prefer the darker RLM 42.
Saying this, there is absolutely no evidence to say that RLM 02 wasn't used as the cockpit interior colour either. I don't think there are any surviving early marks to confirm or deny my research other than the archive existence of the painting orders.
Where does this leave us?
It seems that for the early marks we could use RLM02, RLM41 or RLM 42
I would propose the theory that for bomber aircraft RLM 42 was used throughout the interior and for transports, RLM42 was used in the cockpits and the lighter RLM41 used in the after section, then in April 1942 all cockpits were painted RLM66. Maybe RLM41 was used in the cargo/passenger area of transports to make the area a bit lighter so passengers could see what they were doing.
Having recently watched the 1969 movie Battle of Britain I was struck by the fact that the Spanish heinkels used for filming, when it showed the actual cockpit interior of the aircraft the walls etc do look suspiciously like RLM 42 not RLM 02. I do know that the exterior of the aircraft were repainted for the movie and I don't know what colour the Spanish painted the interior of their aircraft during this period, but it is food for thought isn't it?
I am just sharing what I know with you all.
James