RLM Color Part 4:

It is unknown how long this interpreted transition period of fighter bombers were painted in the 70/71 scheme up until production ceased in April 1945. Perhaps stocks of these colours (as held by Arado) were never exhausted and thus the new colours were not required. Considering this example and other similar ones, one is forced to ask when the decision was made to paint fighters with the new 81/82 colours. And why camo- uflage occurred, but it is probable that not all manufacturing plants completed, let alone initiated this change. Some may have had to due to lack of paint stocks, others may have sufficient quantities of the older colours for use until their production programs ceased. Aircraft produced by Messerschmitt show a wide range of schemes and colours in photographs, even within a specific sub-type of Bf 109s. With all this activity, two questions remain: Did the RLM ever formalize the descriptive names for colours 81 and 82, and if so, was an approved colour atlas eventually released? From its prior actions, there appeared to be a noticeable lag time between the RLM’s stated intentions, the manufacturers’ usage of new colours, and the release of approved colour samples and descriptive names. As the war progressed, this lag period began to lengthen, no doubt due to deteriorating military and economic conditions. Regarding the colours 81 and 82, fate was particularly cruel in that the aircraft intended for their use were no longer being produced, and excess stocks of older colours were being used up. Furthermore, the actual production of the paints and their transportation to dispersed production centres and component manufacturers must have been hindered by Allied bombing. Eventually however, limited quantities of these new colours reached some of the major production centres. On February 23, Messerschmitt published its approved Oberflächenschutzliste for the Me 262, and in it the two colours were described as "Braunviolett 81" and "Hellgrün 82". Of all the previous descriptions published earlier by other manufacturers, these by far best describe the shades of these colours. As far as is known, no other Oberflächenschutzlistes appear to have been issued after this one. Thus, it is quite possible that this document reflects the official RLM description of these two new colours, and if so, it is likely that Messerschmitt (and others?) also received a colour atlas with paint samples. Accepting this, then those preserved aircraft wearing these colours likely came close to the shades the RLM demanded. Until such time as the RLM’s last colour atlas is found, the precise shades of Braunviolett 81 and Hellgrün 82 will remain unknown. Given the probable variability in paints manufactured at this time, the comparison of what was intended versus what actually existed is a moot one. To summarize then, the evidence is clear that the two RLM colours 81 and 82 were intended to replace the older colours Schwarzgrün 70 and Dunkelgrün 71 respectively and were planned for application on new types of bombers and similar aircraft. As a conservation measure, the RLM ordered that all older colours were to be used in combination with the newer ones until such time that they were used up. However, before this change-over could be enacted, bomber units were in the midst of being disbanded and production of bombers was stopped. There also appears to have been a change in fighter camouflage taking place at about the same time, with RLM colour 83 "Grün" replacing 74 Graugrün. Throughout the summer and autumn of 1944, the war situation demanded increased fighter production from dispersed facilities, and aircraft were leaving assembly areas in a myriad of schemes. Aircraft wearing combinations of old and new camouflage colours are known through photographic evidence and by November 1944 the newer RLM colours 81 and 82 were becoming available to factories and started to appear on fighter aircraft. By February 1945, the 81/82 scheme and variations with 83 were likely formalized by the RLM and as such was identified by Messerschmitt in documents related to the Me 262 as 81 Braunviolett and 82 Hellgrün. As documented earlier, this utilization of new paint colours months prior to their official release occurred several times previously and so a repeat of this situation should not be considered at all anomalous. Thus, it is quite probable that the Messerschmitt designations of Braunviolett and Hellgrün for RLM colours 81 and 82 were the official ones, and if so, it is also probable that an official colour atlas with paint samples for these two colours was indeed published. Therefore, for but a few more months, some fighters of the Luftwaffe would have been camouflaged in new colours originally intended for bombers. By the end of the war the situation was such that single-coloured Me 262s and even unpainted ones were encountered in increasing numbers by the Allies, not in the skies but scattered and decaying in dark forests and on abandoned airfields. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Final Word As stated at the beginning, the writer stated that this document was created for his own internal consumption, though was later expanded and formalized for sharing with other enthusiasts. Any comments, corrections, additions, clarifications and the like are sincerely appreciated and readers are asked to direct these to the author. Hopefully, with the help of enthusiasts throughout the world, the full story of the evolution and usage of the Luftwaffe’s late-war colours on the various aircraft types will someday become more fully understood. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- References Aders, G. 1986. 1986. Monogram Close-Up 8 - Fw 190 F. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Ethell, J. L., 1990: Monogram Close-Up 24 - Ta152. Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 32p. Hitchcock, T. H., 1979: Monogram Close-Up 16 - Bf 109 K. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Hitchcock, T. H., 1983: Monogram Close-Up 7 - Gustav: Messerschmitt 109G Part 2. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Hitchcock, T. H., 1990: Monogram Close-Up 20 - Blohm & Voss 155. Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 32p. Ivie, T., and Sheflin, S. W., 1985: The Last of the Luftwaffe - "Roundup In The Sky" Furth, Germany - 8 May 1945. Airfoil, Vol.1, No.3, Airfoil Publications, Costa Mesa, California, pp.4-10, 31-38. Lutz, R. P., 1983. Dornier Do 335 in detail and close-up. Airfoil, Vol.1, No.1, pp.26-39. Merrick, K. A., 1977. German Aircraft Markings 1939-1945. Sky Books Press Ltd., New York, 176p. Merrick, K. A., and Hitchcock, T., A., 1980. The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1935-1945 (including Appendices and Supplements); Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 144p. Radinger, W., and Schick, W., 1993. Messerschmitt Me 262 - Development, Testing, Production. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Altglen, Pennsylvania, 118p. Sheflin, S. W., 1983. The Last of the Luftwaffe! Airfoil, Vol.1, No.1, pp.17-23. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1983a. Monogram Close-Up 23 - Arado 234 B. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1983b. Monogram Close-Up 17 - Me 262 A-1. Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 32p. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1983c. Monogram Close-Up 21 - Do 335. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1986a. Monogram Close-Up 10 - Fw 190 D. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1986b. Monogram Close-Up 11-Volksjaeger. Monogram Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p. Smith, J. R., and Creek, E., J., 1994. Monogram Monarch Series Number 1-Arado 234 Blitz. Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 264p. Smith, J., R., and Gallaspy, J. D., 1976. Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1935-45, Volume 2. Kookaburra Technical Publications Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, 164p. (Also published by Monogram Aviation Publications under the title "Luftwaffe Colors"). Smith, J., R., and Gallaspy, J. D., 1977. Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1935-45, Volume 3. Kookaburra Technical Publications Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, 164p. (Also published by Monogram Aviation Publications under the title "Luftwaffe Colors"). Smith, J. R., and Kay, A. L., 1972. German Aircraft of the Second World War. Putnam, London, 745p. Smith, J. R., Pentland, G. G., and Lutz, R. P., 1979. The Modellers Luftwaffe Painting Guide - With Color Chart. Kookaburra Technical Publications, Melbourne, 88p. Spaete, W., 1989. Top Secret Bird - The Luftwaffe's Me-163 Comet. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Missoula, Montana, 270p. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- BACK TO PART ONE - History, Features, Camouflage and Markings of WNr. 163824 BACK TO PART TWO - Photos, Links and References GO TO PART FOUR - Building a Bf 109K Explores an unusual use of primer colours as camouflage on some late-war Luftwaffe fighters GO TO PART FIVE - Focke-Wulf 190A-8 in Grey A detailed examination of one colour and one monochrome photograph of Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8, Werknummer 681497 of 5./JG 4. GO TO PART SIX - Model Paint Mixing Guide BACK TO TOP OF PAGE -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Text Copyright (c) 1997 by David E. Brown Page created on Wednesday, May 20, 1998 This page last updated on Wednesday, August 26, 1998 Back to The Reference Library Back to HyperScale Home Page [Image] [Image] [ What's New ] [ Features ] [ Gallery ] [ Reviews ] [ Reference ] [ Links ] [ Traders' Mall ] Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage Part Four Building and Painting a Late War Bf 109 by Brett Green [bf109kbg_2.jpg (41590 bytes)] Messerschmitt Bf 109K-4 11./JG53, Kirrlach, Germany, February 1945 Part Four of "Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage" makes some practical use of the research and discussions in Parts One, Two and Three. This article discusses the apparent use of an unusual colour scheme on the Bf 109K-4 "Kürfust" - the last of the Augsburg Eagles. Hobbycraft's Bf 109G-10 is modified using Cooper Details resin upgrade to represent this interesting aircraft. B a c k g r o u n d - L a t e W a r L u f t w a f f e F i g h t e r C o l o u r s There is unflagging debate about the exact colour schemes used on late-war Luftwaffe aircraft. Germany’s aircraft manufacturing industry was in chaos during the last months of World War Two. The German border was shrinking rapidly to the east and the west, transportation systems were disintergrating and many aircraft were being assembled in forest factory lines. Deviations from RLM instructions were likely under these circumstances. To further confuse the issue, German industry frequently "recycled" old airframes into new model aircraft. This was often the case with the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6, G-14 and G-10 models. However, the last in the line of the Augsburg Eagles was purpose built as a new aircraft. Camouflage on the Bf 109K-4 Kürfust was therefore somewhat more standard than was seen on the recycled airframes. The most common colour schemes on the K-4 were hard segmented upper surface of 81 Brown-Violet and 83 Dark-Green; or 75 Grey-Violet and 83 Dark-Green. Lower surfaces were usually either RLM 76 White-Blue or one of the late-war Sky Green colours. However, some peculiar variations have been observed. It would also be reasonable to assume that some aircraft would be rushed into service with an incomplete paint job. This seems to be the case with some well-documented Focke Wulf Fw 190D and Messerschmitt Bf 109Ks. T h e S u b j e c t A i r c r a f t This Kürfust was in service with III./JG 53. A photograph of this aircraft have appears in the excellent "Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile" by Claes Sundin and Christer Bergstrom. The JaPo publication on the Bf 109K also shows this aircraft. The latter book suggests that the aircraft is finished in an unusual scheme comprising RLM 77 Primer and RLM 75 Grey-Violet as the upper surface camouflage colours. The colour scheme is by no means certain, but my interpretation of a likely finish is as follows: RLM 77 Grey Primer and RLM 75 Grey-Violet upper surface RLM 76 White-Blue and Sky Green lower surfaces Tail and Rudder Assemblies in either 81/83 or 75/83 hard-edged mottle Old aircraft code painted out using RLM 83 Dark Green or similar (?) JG 53 RVD band in Black. My arguments in favour of this scheme are as follows, and relate to the photographs as reproduced in the JaPo and "Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile" books: * There is almost no contrast between the lower surface camouflage colour on the mid and rear fuselage, and the lighter upper camouflage colour. * The black RVD band is appropriately dark, indicating that the overall photo is not simply washed out. * The darker of the upper camouflage colours is noticeably lighter than the colour used to paint out the old code number (2), which in turn is noticeably lighter than the black RVD band. * The lower wing is painted in a lighter shade than the lower camouflage colour on the mid and rear fuselage. There is some contrast between the light upper surface camouflage colour and the colour on the lower wing. This suggests the possibility that the lower wing is RLM 76 White-Blue; but that a second, slightly darker lower surface colour is used elsewhere. [bf109kbg_3.jpg (39057 bytes)] C h o o s i n g a B f 1 0 9 K - 4 i n 1 / 4 8 S c a l e The modeller is presented with three choices for building a Bf 109K-4 in 1/48 scale. The oldest of these is Revell/Monogram's Bf 109G-10, which was also briefly issued with an extra sprue as a Kürfust. This is an excellent kit which is only let down by its sparse interior detail. Panel lines are recessed and, while not as crisp as the best of today's kits, they look very nice under a coat of paint. The effort to convert this G-10 to a K-4 is relatively trivial - a little filling and rescribing of access hatches plus the addition of a tall tailwheel and inner undercarriage doors. The next choice is Fujimi's family of Bf 109s. Fujimi fell for the trap of trying to cater for the biggest possible range of aircraft using a common set of sprues. Construction of these kits is therefore somewhat complex due to a multi-part fuselage requiring inserts depending on whether the subject is a G-6/G-14 with the "conventional" nose; or a late 109G-6/AS, G-14/AS, G-10 or K-4 with the conformal bulges. The fuselage is also burdened with engraved detail for all possible panels in the G and K series from the G-6 onwards. It is up to the modeller to fill and sand all inappropriate hatches and panels. Finally, the nose is too short, giving this streamlined subject a slightly chunky look. Overall, this expensive kit is a big disappointment. I decided to build the most recent offering - Hobbycraft's Bf 109G-10. This kit is essentially identical to their K-4 kit except for the decals. The fuselage panels are correct for a K-4 out-of-the-box, and no filling is necessary. One flaw that is common to all of the Bf 109G-6/AS, G-14/AS, G-10 and K-4 models released to date is their treatment of the streamlined cowl. In all cases it has been depicted symmetrically when viewed from above. In reality, the bulges were assymetrical, and several variants existed. It will be interesting to see if Hasegawa address this problem when they release their late G/K versions! B u i l d i n g t h e B f 1 0 9 K - 4 Hobbycraft's 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 Hobbycraft's G-10 looks very good in the box. Dimensions are spot-on, panel-line detail is crisp and many options are provided including choice of large or small wheel bulges, standard or wide tyres and short or long tailwheel. Two styles of canopies are also supplied. The quality of the plastic lives up to the standard, and there are no sink marks or ejector-pin marks in obvious places. Unlike the Fujimi kits, Hobbycraft's late-model fuselage requires no special cutouts for the conformal bulge. However a cutout is supplied for the machine gun trough. This is a slightly irritating and unnecessary piece of over-engineering. Cooper Details Bf 109K Detail Kit I elected to spruce up the cockpit with the more detailed and accurate Cooper Details Bf 109K-4 Detail Set. Cooper Details have been producing high quality resin aircraft detail sets for longer than most of the current crop of manufacturers. Despite this, even their older products still look extremely good by comparison. Their K-4 offering includes a new resin cockpit floor and back, sidewalls, breech cover, instrument panel, auxilliary panel, gunsight, control stick, rudder pedals, new exhausts and other small details. A small brass fret also supplies harnesses and some tiny odds and ends. A white metal tailwheel and tall rear wheel strut complete this compact but comprehensive set. Cooper Detail sets feature beautiful, flawless casting. Large parts are cast on stout blocks, while smaller details are presented on a thin wafer of resin. Removal of these pieces requires gentle sanding - not unlike removing a vac-form piece from its styrene backing, but with much less effort. Instructions are excellent. Assembly is described in-depth over 18 steps. Diagrams clearly point out the location of the main parts. The set is recommended for the Revell/Monogram kit, but I decided to adapt it to the Hobbycraft Kürfust. This was a particular advantage as the Hobbycraft kit instrument panel is far too wide for the kit fuselage. If the panel is not significantly cut down at the sides, it simply won't fit. The kit cockpit is pretty basic as well. Construction Construction commences in the cockpit. I followed Cooper Details instructions and thinned down the sidewalls. The cockpit components were partially assembled then painted. I taped the sidewalls to the cockpit floor, and test fitted until I was confident that everything would fit and that the fuselage would fit together properly. I had to trim the instrument panel sides slightly. The cockpit was completed according to the Cooper instructions. The gap for the exhaust in the Hobbycraft fuselage is far too tall. This would be a tricky problem to fix, so I decided to grit my teeth and put up with it. Next, I test fitted the Cooper Details resin guns in the upper gun-trough. The trough is way too shallow, so it was deepened using a round file and sandpaper. The fit of the gun-trough insert to the fuselage was so-so. Filling and sanding eliminated most of the centreline hinge detail. A length of stretched sprue was added to replace it. Extra detail was added to the underside of the wheel wells to hide the locating holes for the upper wing bulges. A few short strips of styrene hid these unsightly holes. Some reviews have complained about lack of dihedral on this model but mine was fine. In fact, I had to spread the fuselage slightly to avoid a gap at the wing-root. I assume the kit cockpit floor must be too wide, resulting in the loss of dihedral when the kit is built out-of-the-box. The greatest disappointment with the kit surfaced when it was almost complete. The horizontal tail surfaces are vertically staggered. In other words, when viewed from behind, the port tail is noticeably higher than the starboard tail. This was a great frustration at this late stage of construction. I didn't discover the problem until I had glued both tailplanes in place and then couldn't figure out why they wouldn't align! As with the exhaust problem, I let this one ride. Additional details included brake lines from fusewire and True Details wheels. Inner tailwheel doors were not added as they were often removed from operational aircraft. Painting and Markings The main reason I built this model was to see how this interesting colour scheme might have looked. Painting commenced with a small patch of dark green on each fuselage side. Both patches were then partially covered with a homemade rough-cut number "2". Black was then sprayed along panel lines and in the appropriate location for the RVD band. The band was masked with Tamiya tape. I used a mix of Tamiya XF-55 "Deck Tan and Gunze H334 "Barley Gray" to achieve a warm, light grey for RLM 77. The darker camouflage colour was my usual Gunze 75 with a spot of red. Gunze H74 "Sky" represented the mixed green/grey colour, while Gunze H314 "Blue FS 35622" was used for RLM 76 White-Blue under the engine cowl and wings. Small masks were cut from Tamiya Masking Tape to create the hard-edged mottles on the tail and rudder. Exhaust stains and further highlighting of panel lines was achieved using a very thin mix of Tamiya Flat Black, Flat Earth and Flat Base. The number "2" masks were removed to reveal a rough-edged dark green digit on each fuselage side. A yellow "1" from an Aeromaster sheet was applied over the top of this "old" number, followed by the remainder of the necessary decals. C o n c l u s i o n This project was inspired by my desire to see what this unusual colour scheme might look like. From that viewpoint I only partially achieved my objective. In the final analysis, the numerals on my model were too small and positioned too far forward, and other minor details were not authentically duplicated. However, I was most disappointed with my chosen kit. I think this would have been a simpler project and a more convincing model using the Revell/Monogram kit as the base. [bf109kbg_6.jpg (54328 bytes)] At least I can say that the Cooper Details set was an unqualified success. I recommend this company's products heartily. We cannot say for certain whether my personal interpretation of this aircraft's colour scheme is correct. But it certainly looks as interesting as I thought it would! R e f e r e n c e s Ing. Aleš Janda and Ing. Tomáš Poruba, 1997, "Messerschmitt Bf 109K", published by JaPo, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic This is the best single reference on the Kürfust I have seen. Apart from peculiar presentation of the colour artwork (which may have more to do with the printing process than the original artwork), the book is comprehensive and thought provoking. A photo of the subject aircraft appears on page 34. Claes Sundin and Christer Bergström, 1997, "Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile", Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA, USA ISBN 0-7643-0291-4 Profile and Photograph on pages 104/105. This book interprets the scheme of the aircraft differently, but a similar scheme on a Bf 109K-4 is portrayed on page 131 of the same book. More information about the book and samples from upcoming productions by the same authors may be seen at Claes Sundin's website, "Luftwaffe Fighter Aces and Aircraft". -------------------------------------------------------------------------- GO TO PART ONE - History, Features, Camouflage and Markings of WNr. 163824 GO TO PART TWO - Photos, Links and References GO TO PART THREE - "Commentary on the Evolution and Usage of Luftwaffe RLM Colours 81, 82 & 83" by David E. Brown GO TO PART FIVE - Focke-Wulf 190A-8 in Grey A detailed examination of one colour and one monochrome photograph of Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8, Werknummer 681497 of 5./JG 4. GO TO PART SIX - Model Paint Mixing Guide RETURN TO TOP -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model, Article Text and Photographs Copyright © 1998 by Brett Green Page Created 19 July, 1998 Last Updated 16 September, 1998 Back to HyperScale Main Page Back to Features Page [bf109kbg_5.jpg (42011 bytes)] [bf109kbg_4.jpg (37142 bytes)] [Image] [ What's New ] [ Features ] [ Gallery ] [ Reviews ] [ Reference ] [ Links ] [ Traders' Mall ] [ Search Form ] Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage Part Five Focke-Wulf 190A-8 in Grey Photographs Courtesy of Charlie Swank Description by Brett Green [fw190cr_3.jpg (32070 bytes)] Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8 WNr. 681497 "White 11", 5./JG 4, St. Trond Belgium, 1 January 1945 Photograph Copyright © 1998 Charlie Swank HyperScale is fortunate to have received a number of wartime photographs in colour and black and white from Charlie Swank. Charlie has generously allowed these pictures to be posted on HyperScale. I personally have not seen these particular pictures published elsewhere. They therefore represent an uncommon opportunity to put together a few more pieces of the Luftwaffe camouflage puzzle. Two more images of this aircraft in the text and two captioned thumbnails at the bottom of the page. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlie Swank presents a rare colour photograph of a Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8, Werknummer 681497 of 5./JG 4. The aircraft was flown by Gefreiter Walter Wagner. He was forced to make an emergency landing at St. Trond airfield in Belgium due to flak damage sustained in "Operation Bodenplatte" on 1 January, 1945. [fw190a8cs_5.jpg (55642 bytes)] An atmospheric photo of the port side of this aircraft a few weeks after capture Two black and white photos of the port side of this aircraft have been published on page 55 of Bernd Barbas' "Planes of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces Vol. 1" (see refs below). These photographs plainly indicate that the port side engine cowl is a replacement. The camouflage pattern on the engine cowl does not match the cowl ring. There is also a colour illustration of this aircraft in the Model Art Special "Camouflage and Markings of the Luftwaffe Aircraft Vol. 1 Day Fighters". The profile depicts a yellow lower engine cowl. The photographs seems to show that the aircraft is finished in a standard 74/75/76 scheme. Although colour 74 Grey-Green was officially discontinued in mid-1944, older aircraft would have retained the finish unless substantially rebuilt. Nevertheless, in the colour photgraph, the contrast between the dark grey colour and the quite typically light 75 Grey-Violet looks greater than might normally be expected. Could the dark colour be a mixed grey using, for example, a combination of RLM 75 and RLM 66? Or is this just a fresh coat of 74 over a faded RLM 75? On the other hand, the contrast looks to be fairly standard for 74/75 in the black and white photo. Charlie's colour photo highlights a number of other interesting features: * Note the black panel to the rear of the exhaust (fairly typical) and the black painted stripe wrapped around the top and front of the wing-root (not typical!). * The lower engine cowl is definitely not yellow. The RLM 76 White-Blue paint is patchy and peeling. Oil stains (or similar) can also be seen on the cowl ring. * The camouflage colours on the upper surface of the wings wrap around the leading edge of the wing back to the front edge of the lower-wing Balkenkreuz. These wraparound colours are finished in a sharp, straight line, probably in line with a panel break. * The fuselage and tail camouflage is a tight mottle of mainly RLM 75 Grey-Violet over RLM 76 White-Blue. * Spots of primer "pinking" is used extensively on the undercarriage doors and possibly on the lower surface of the aircraft. * Although not particularly clear in this photo, this Fw 190 carries the extra, bolt on cockpit side-armour more typically found on the A8/R8 Rammjaeger version. Spots of primer have been used to cover these bolt or rivet holes. * The partial view of the fuselage cross shows that the white outline has been filled with one of the grey colours. The lower cross and the Hakenkreuz are black and white. * The spinner is RLM 70 Black-Green. * The tailwheel may be white-walled! * The Morane antenna, the FuG16ZY loop antenna and the rod antenna for the FuG25aIFF all appear to be missing. * Note also the protective cover on the pitot tube. Any interpretation of wartime photographs must be qualified with the comment that nothing is certain. However, this photo shows us some very interesting aspects of an otherwise standard late-war Luftwaffe camouflage scheme. A d d i t i o n a l P h o t o g r a p h s Click on the thumbnailed images below to view full-size. Click the back arrow on your browser to retrun to this page. Another view of the port side of erknummer 681497 of 5./JG 4, weeks after it capture in the harsh winter of 1945 This close-up view of the starboard fuselage gives a good view of the applique armour attached under the canopy on the fuselage side. Also note the thin black outline to the number "11". -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photographs Copyright (c) 1998, Charlie Swank. All rights reserved. Material appearing within this document may not be copied, stored or reproduced in any device or publication, in whole or in part, without the expressed written consent of the author. R e f e r e n c e s 1. Bernd Barbas, "Planes of the Luftwaffe Fighter Aces Vol. 1", Kookaburra Technical Publications, Melbourne, 1985 ISBN 0 85880 048 9 Two pictures of this aircraft appear on page 55 of this book. 2. Model Art Special "Camouflage and Markings of the Luftwaffe Aircraft Vol. 1 Day Fighters" Colour profile on page 12 and photograph on page 154. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part One 1. Introduction 2. History of WNr.163824 3. The Treloar Centre Bf 109 G-6 - General Features 4. Camouflage and Markings of WNr.163824 Table 1: Colours Used on the Fuselage of WNr. 163824 5. Conclusion Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Two 6. WNr. 163824 Photo Gallery 7. Links 8. References Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Three Commentary on the Evolution and Usage of Luftwaffe RLM Colours 81, 82 & 83 by David E. Brown Please note that Part Three will take some time to load. Please be patient. Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Four Building and Painting a Late War Bf 109 Includes discussion about the use of primer as camouflage colours on late-war Luftwaffe fighter aircraft. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photographs Copyright © 1998 by Charlie Swank Text Copyright 1998 by Brett Green Page created on Thursday, July 30, 1998 This page last updated on Monday, September 07, 1998 Back to The Reference Library Back to HyperScale Home Page [fw190cs_4.jpg (26738 bytes)] [fw190a8cs_6.jpg (47484 bytes)] [fw190a8cs_7.jpg (50758 bytes)] [Image] [ What's New ] [ Features ] [ Gallery ] [ Reviews ] [ Reference ] [ Links ] [ Traders' Mall ] [ Search Form ] Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage Part Six Modellers' Paint Reference Guide by Brett Green [me262tt_2.jpg (32568 bytes)] Me 262A-1a at the Treloar Technology Centre, Australian War Memorial. "Black X" Wears a Late-War Scheme of RLM 83 Dark Green over RLM 82 Bright Green. Wings are solid 83. Photo: Copyright © 1998 Brett Green ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part Six of "Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage" presents a model paint reference guide for the RLM colours discussed in Parts One, Three, Four and Five. Some notes on enamel vs. acrylic paints and thinning paints for airbrushing are also included. Comments and additional mixing suggestions are most welcome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I n t r o d u c t i o n Part One of "Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage" described the colours used on one surviving Bf 109G-6. The table below lists some possible matches between these RLM colours discussed in Part One of "Late War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage", and a selection of available model paints. It is important to note that a number of these German late-war camouflage paints displayed wide variations in colour and shade. This was particularly the case with the mixed "sky" colours and RLM 81 Brown-Violet. RLM 81 ranged in shade from a dark red-brown colour to a fairly pale olive drab. To further complicate the matter, even standardised RLM colours suffered from fading, weathering and repairs; or simply looked different depending on the available light and the observers distance from the aircraft. [bf109g10cs_4.jpg (34690 bytes)] This marvellous photo taken by Allied troops in France illustrates a range of late-war Luftwaffe camouflage finishes. The aircraft in the foreground is a Bf 109G-10 or G-14A/S, most likely from IV./JG 11. Note the broad RVD band (yellow for JG 11), and wavy line of IV Gruppe. The low contrast between the colours on the rear fuselage would indicate a probable RLM 81 Brown-Violet and RLM 83 Dark Green combination. The Balkenkreuz has been filled with 83 Dark Green. A dense, indistinct mottle on the rear fuselage makes it difficult to determine the lower surface colour. However, the engine cowling is clearly a replacement with at least one different colour which is lighter in shade than the 81 Brown-Violet. The nose may be either 83/75 or (less likely) 74/75. The bottom half of the port cowling is almost certainly 76 White-Blue. Note also the earlier model Bf 109 in the background. Its port-side cowl appears to be fitted with the extra bulge and hatch for the cockpit pressurisation compressor, so it may be a G-5 However, it may also be a G-6 or G-14 using a G-5 cowl. This aircraft displays the characteristic mottle of heavy spots seen on some 109s. Colours are probably 74/75/76. Photograph Courtesy of Charlie Swank This means that the modeller will have to take into account the scale of the model, the condition of the paintwork on the subject aircraft and their personal preference for a light, dark or bright finish. A great many of these variables are entirely subjective. For the reasons stated above, the model paint guide may not strictly relate to the Federal Standard Equivalent colours noted for RLM colours in previous parts of this series. The "correct" colour is largely judged by the eye of the individual modeller. The following table may assist the modeller to select their preference from a range of possible shades and brands. My preferred mixing options are highlighted in green: Table 1: Suggested RLM Model Paint Equivalents RLM Colour Aeromaster Aeromaster Gunze Tamiya Humbrol* Xtra Enamels Acrylics Acrylics Acrylics Colour Mixed RLM 84 RLM 84 Sky Sky RAF Green/Grey 9032 1035 H74 XF-21 Sky X007 Mixed 1035 50% + Yellow/Green 1050 50% RLM 02 9020 1010 H70 XF-22 92 X201 Grey RLM 04 Yellow RLM Red RLM Blue RLM 70 9023 1023 H65 XF-27 91 X204 Black Green RLM 71 9024 1024 H64 116 or X205 Dark Green 30 RLM 74 9025 1025 H68 90% XF-27 27 X206 Grey-Green + 70% + H64 10% XF-19 30% RLM 75 9026 1026 H69 98% X207 Grey-Violet + Red 2% RLM 76 9027 1027 H314 XF-23 175 X208 White-Blue 50% + 60% + H334 XF-2 40% 50% or H417 RLM 81 9028 or 1031 or H304 or 173 85% X210 Brown-Violet 9029 1032 H421 + 153 9% + 85 6% or 155 RLM 82 9031 1034 H422 105 X212 Bright Green RLM 83 9030 1033 H423 XF-26 117 85% X211 Dark Green + 81 mix 15% .Another Mixing Suggestion E. Brown Ryle of KommanDeur Decals has offered his suggestions for various shades of RLM 81 Brown-Violet. Mix 50% AeroMaster RLM 81 and 50% Floquil RLM 81. Brown suggests that this colour should be used on the upper wings of < .+ -, W.Nr. 211934 and upper cowl of Black 3, W.Nr. 210239, on KommanDeur Decal sheets KD4801FD and KD4701FW respectively. He also notes that RLM 81 may be obtained by mixing RLM 70 Black Green with RLM 23 Red at a ratio of 5 parts Black-Green to 2 parts Red. This is one of the RLM 81 shades used in the Monogram Luftwaffe Painting Guide, and the colour Floquil used for its RLM 81. A c r y l i c s v s . E n a m e l s The modelling world is fairly sharply divided into people who prefer enamel paints, and those who prefer acrylics. Enamel paints generally provide a tougher finish and a higher gloss, while acrylic paints dry much faster and are less messy to clean up. Some modellers claim that acrylic paints have a grainy finish and are more challenging when used for fine-line and mottle work. However, I have had no problems getting a very good finish from acrylic paints. It is entirely a matter of personal choice. A Note on Thinning Paints Model paints must be thinned for airbrushing. The amount of thinner depends on many factors. These include the brand of paint, the temperature, the air pressure being used, the width of the desired spray and the required thickness of the paint coat. Most manufacturers will recommend a thinning ratio on the paint jar, but the best recipe for success is experimentation and practice. The typical ratio range of thinner to paint is probably between 20/80 and 50/50. When spraying a Luftwaffe mottled finish, or fine-line work, a higher proportion of thinner may be required. Enamel Paints Thinning enamel paints is pretty straightforward - Aeromaster, Humbrol, Tamiya and Gunze all offer enamel thinners, or modellers may choose to use a generic brand of Mineral Turpentine. Acrylic Paints Gunze and Tamiya Acrylic paints are quite tolerant to most thinners. I prefer to use either an iso-propylene alcohol thinner (actually a suspension base for medical creams available from pharmacies) or Tamiya’s Acrylic Thinner, but other thinning media will work too. Methylated spirits may be used to thin acrylic paint but take care as it will accelerate the drying process. This may result in a slightly "chalky" finish. Water may also be used, but this will slow the drying process resulting in the risk of paint runs or overly thick coats. Some acrylic paints are more temperamental. Aeromaster, Floquil, Polly "S" and Pactra acrylics may only be thinned with distilled water or Polly "S" thinners. Even then, when used for fine-line spraying, these paints will tend to clog in the airbrush and "string". One way to correct this problem is to add a few drops of Acrylic Retarder Medium to the thinned paint mix. This will slow the drying process enough to allow very fine work. Acrylic Retarder is available under many different brands from art supply shops. C o n c l u s i o n The final appearance of a model's camouflage scheme will largely depend on the personal perception and preferences of the modeller. Nevertheless, it is clearly essential to know the exact base colour on which the faded/dirty/scale-effected camouflage was based. The table above will be a starting point for these base colours. Happy painting! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monochrome photograph Copyright (c) 1998, Charlie Swank. All rights reserved. Material appearing within this document may not be copied, stored or reproduced in any device or publication, in whole or in part, without the expressed written consent of the author. R e f e r e n c e s * Humbrol mixing suggestions are from Dave Wadman, based on his Factory Messerschmitt Colour Chips. Via E. Brown Ryle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part One 1. Introduction 2. History of WNr.163824 3. The Treloar Centre Bf 109 G-6 - General Features 4. Camouflage and Markings of WNr.163824 Table 1: Colours Used on the Fuselage of WNr. 163824 5. Conclusion Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Two 6. WNr. 163824 Photo Gallery 7. Links 8. References Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Three Commentary on the Evolution and Usage of Luftwaffe RLM Colours 81, 82 & 83 by David E. Brown Please note that Part Three will take some time to load. Please be patient. Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Four Building and Painting a Late War Bf 109 Includes discussion about the use of primer as camouflage colours on late-war Luftwaffe fighter aircraft. Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage - Part Five Focke-Wulf 190A-8 in Grey A detailed examination of one colour and one monochrome photograph of Focke Wulf Fw 190A-8, Werknummer 681497 of 5./JG 4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Text Copyright 1998 by Brett Green Displayed for educational purposes.