by Urban Fredriksson & Martin Waligorski
German Air Force WW I, WW II and Modern Colours
Examples of World War II camouflage schemes as prescribed by RLM:
Pre-war splinter scheme | 61/62/63 over 65 |
Very early fighter biplanes, experimental aircraft | 63 overall |
Two-green splinter scheme – all aircraft except seaplanes until the ned of 1939, later mostly bombers, transports and ground attack a/c | 70/71 over 65 |
Sea scheme – seaplanes | 72/73 over 65 |
Fighters, until ca. end of 1939 | 70/71 over 65 |
Fighters, French campaign and Battle of Britain | many different, but often 70/02 over 65 |
Standard two-tone grey scheme, fighters 1941-1944 | 74/75 over 76 |
3-tone desert scheme – aircraft of the African campaign | 79/80 over 78 |
2-tone ”Tunisian” desert scheme | 79(brown) over 78 |
Late-war schemes, fighters, 1944-1945 | many different combinations of colours from the 80-series, i.e. 81/82 over 76, 82/83 over 76, 81/82 over ”84”, 82/83 over ”84”, etc. |
Nightfighter scheme | 75/76 |
Publications helpful for assembling RLM part of the chart heve been The Official Monogram Panting Guide to German Aircraft 1939-45 and Late-War Luftwaffe Fighter Camouflage by Brett Green published at www.hyperscale.com.
Examples of post-war camouflage schemes
Sabre CL13B Mk.5 1957- | Green/Dk grey/Lt blue |
Sabre CL13B Mk.6, F-84F, F-86K, Fiat G-91, Alpha Jet 1960’s- | RAL 6014/7012/7001 |
F-104F/G, F-4F 1972- | RAL 6014/7012/9006 |
RF-4E, F-104G late, Tornado | RAL 6003/7021/FS.34079 overall |
F-4F 1980 standard A Top: | RAL 7012/7037/7009 Under: 7036/7001(later 7030) |
F-4F 1980 standard B Top: | RAL 7012/7039/7009/7037 Under:7030/7035 |
F-4F 1990 standard Top: | RAL Top:7000/7001 Under: FS.35237/36375 |
Alpha Jet standard 1983 | RAL 7021/FS.34079 overall |
MiG-29 | FS.35237/36320/36375 Nose cone close to RAL 7012 |
Early tranports | RAL 6014/7012/7001 |
C-160 Transall, Do 28 | RAL 6014/7012/9006/2005 |
C-160, Do 28 modern | RAL 7021/6003/FS.34079 overall |
This chart has been last revised in September 2006
1914-1918 | |||||||||
Colour name | Comment | FS | Humbrol | Tamiya | Xtracolor | Polly S | Revell | Gunze Sangyo | Model Master |
Dunkelgrün | Topside colour, used until ca. 1917 | Hu:30 | X:X241 | ||||||
Rotbraun | Topside colour, used until ca. 1917 | Hu:160 | |||||||
Dunkelviolett | Topside colour, used until ca. 1917 | Hu:107 | X:X242 | ||||||
Olivegrün | Topside colour on Fokker aircraft | Hu:108 | |||||||
Blau | Topside colour | Hu:109 | |||||||
Graublau | Sea aircraft | Hu:87 | |||||||
Graubrun | Sea aircraft | Hu:98 | |||||||
Grauviolett | Sea aircraft | 4*Hu:25 + 2*Hu:153 + 3*Hu:64 | |||||||
Blau | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 2*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:25 | |||||||
Grün | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:80 | |||||||
Lichtbraun | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:119 | |||||||
Lichtgrün | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:90 | |||||||
Gelbbraun | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:62 | |||||||
Graublau | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 5*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:25 | |||||||
Dunkelviolett | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 8*Hu:98 + 2*Hu:10 + 2*Hu:107 | |||||||
Lichtblau | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 4*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:25 | |||||||
Graugrün | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:95 | |||||||
Graublau | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 7*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:153 + 1*Hu:64 | |||||||
Gelb | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | Hu:103 | |||||||
Licht graublau | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 7*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:25 | |||||||
Grauviolett | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 6*Hu:34 + 4*Hu:25 + 2*Hu:153 + 2*Hu:64 | |||||||
Rose | Printed fabric ”polygon” pattern | 5*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:153 | |||||||
Underside blue | X:X243 | ||||||||
1935-1945, RLM Standard | |||||||||
Colour name | Comment | FS | Humbrol | Tamiya | Xtracolor | Polly S | Revell | Gunze Sangyo | Model Master |
RLM 01 Silber | X:X216 | ||||||||
RLM 02 Grau | Interior colour, alos used as overall colour on prototypes | FS:34159 (36165, 24226) | 34*Hu:29 + 13*Hu:25 + 12*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:82 (4*Hu:168 + 1*Hu:75 + 1*Hu:92 + 1*Hu:10, Hu:92) | 1*T:XF-22 + 1*T:XF-49 (T:XF-22) | X:X201 | P:PCG83 | GS:H70 | ||
RLM 04 Gelb | Identification markings | FS:33538 | Hu:154 | X:X213 (markings) | GS:H413 | ||||
RLM 05 Elfenbein | FS:33798 (33618) |
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RLM 09 Gelbgrün | |||||||||
RLM 21 Weiss | Markings / winter camouflage | FS:37886 (37880, 37875) | 6*Hu:34 + 4*Hu:41 | ||||||
RLM 22 Schwarz | Markings / night camouflage | FS:37038 | Hu:33 | ||||||
RLM 23 Rot | Markings | FS:31304 (31302) | X:X217 | GS:H414 | |||||
RLM 24 Dunkelblau | Markings | FS:35053 | X:X218 | ||||||
RLM 25 Hellgrün | FS:34090 (34241) |
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RLM 26 Braun | FS:30109 | ||||||||
RLM 27 Gelb | Markings | FS:33637 (33655, 33591) | |||||||
RLM 61 Dunkelbraun | Pre-war splinter scheme | FS:30040 (30109, 30117) | 29*Hu:60 + 9*Hu:99 + 7*Hu:33 + 4*Hu:34 (8*Hu:10 + 2*Hu:33) | T:X-09+black | X:X219 | GS:H406 | |||
RLM 62 Grün | Pre-war splinter scheme | FS:34159 (34128) | 6*Hu:76 + 2*Hu:151 | T:XF-65 | X:X220 | P:PCG706 | |||
RLM 63 Hellgrau | Pre-war splinter scheme. Also used for overall shcemes. Some sources claim that this and RLM 02 are the same colour | FS:36375 (36373, 36314) | 5*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:156 + 1*Hu:64 | T:XF-25 | X:X221 | P:PCG711 | |||
RLM 65 Hellblau | Lower surfaces | FS:35352 (35414, 25526) | 1*Hu:115 + 1*Hu:34 (Hu:65) | T:XF-23 | X:X202 | P:PCG701 | GS:H67 | ||
RLM 66 Schwartzgrau | Cockpit interiors from mid-war onwards | FS:37030 (36081) | Hu:92 (Hu:32) | X:X203 | GS:H416 | ||||
RLM 70 Schwartzgrun | Wartime splinter scheme | FS:34052 (34050) | 25*Hu:2 + 14*Hu:34 + 12*Hu:60 + 9*Hu:15 (Hu:91, 5*Hu:75 + 1*Hu:91 + 1*Hu:108) | 1*T:XF-62 + 1*T:XF-49 (T:XF-27, T:XF-13) | X:X204 | P:PCG86 | GS:H65 | ||
RLM 71 Dunkelgrun | Wartime splinter scheme | FS:34083 (34079, 34102) | Hu:116 (Hu:30) | T:XF-61 | X:X205 | P:PCG87 | GS:H64 | ||
RLM 72 Grun | Wartime splinter scheme on sea aircraft | FS:37030 (34056) | 6*Hu:91 + 2*Hu:189 + 1*Hu:3 | X:X222 | |||||
RLM 73 Grun | Wartime splinter scheme on sea aircraft | FS:36081 (34092) | Hu:149 | X:X223 (X:X129) | |||||
RLM 74 Graugrün | Top camouflage on fighter aircraft from 1941. Also referred to as Dunkelgrau. | FS:36081 (36086) | Hu:108 (91*Hu:27 + 2*Hu:29 + 1*Hu:34 + 1*Hu:109, Hu:27) | 7*T:XF-27 + 3*T:XF-19 | X:X206 (X:X129) | P:PCG84 | 9*GS:H68 + 1*GS:H64 (GS:H068) | ||
RLM 75 Grauviolett | Top camouflage on fighter aircraft from 1941. Also referred to as Mittelgrau. | FS:26132 (26122) | 16*Hu:34 + 7*Hu:33 + 3*Hu:70 + 2*Hu:29 (4*Hu:106 + 1*Hu:98) | T:XF-54+51? | X:X207 (X:X390) | P:PCG707 | GS:H69 + a hint of red (GS:H069) | ||
RLM 76 Lichtblau | Lower surfaces on fighter a/c. Also used extensively for night fighters | FS:36473, (35622, 35414) | 60*Hu:103 + 6*Hu:25 + 1*Hu:34 (175, 2*Hu:76 + 1*Hu:34, 1*Hu:87 + 1*Hu:34) | 6*T:XF-23 + 4*T:XF-2 | X:X208 | P:PCG88 | 1*GS:H67 + 1*GS:H332 (H417, 1*GS:H314 + 1*GS:H334) | ||
RLM 77 Lichtgrau | FS:36493 | 9*Hu:34 + 2*Hu:28 + 1*Hu:156 | X:X214 | P:PCG85? | |||||
RLM 78 Himmelblau | Lower surfaces of mediterranean schem. | FS:35352 (35414) | 67*Hu:34 + 10*Hu:109 + 4*Hu:94 + 1*Hu:25 (5*Hu:4 + 3*Hu:115 + 3*Hu:65) | X:X214 | P:PCG85? | GS:H418 | |||
RLM 79 Sandbraun | Mediterranean scheme | FS:33448 (33434) | 40*Hu:24 + 37*Hu:73 + 17*Hu:150 (4*Hu:154 + 3*Hu:94 + 1*Hu:34) | X:X209 | P:PCG708 | ||||
RLM 79a Sandgelb | Another variant of RLM 79 | FS:30219 (30215) | Hu:62 | X:X224 | GS:H66 | ||||
RLM 80 Olivegrün | Blotches in mediterranean scheme | FS:34079 (34052) | 14*Hu:80 + 3*Hu:25 + 2*Hu:33 + 1*Hu:34 (3*Hu:91 + 2*Hu:75 + 2*Hu:108) | T:XF-58? | X:X215 | P:PCG709 | GS:H420 | ||
RLM 81 Braunviolett | Late-war topside camouflage | FS:30045 (34087, 30118, 34088) | 3*Hu:150 + 2*Hu:33 (3*Hu:163 + 4*Hu:108 + 3*Hu:33, 85%*Hu:173 + 9%*Hu:153 + 6%*Hu:85, Hu:155) | T:XF-62?/13? | X:X210 | GS:H421 (GS:H304) | |||
RLM 82 Lichtgrün | Late-war topside camouflage. Often confused with 83 | FS:34096 | 6*Hu:116 + 6*Hu:177 + 1*Hu:163 (105) | T:XF-27?/61? | X:X212 | GS:H422 | |||
RLM 83 Dunkelgrün | Late-war topside camouflage. Often confused with 82 | FS:34138, 34083 | 66*Hu:3 + 26*Hu:15 + 5*Hu:60 + 1*Hu:24 (Hu:116, 4*Hu:117 + 1*Hu:81) | T:XF-26 | X:X211 | P:PF51 | GS:H423 | ||
RLM ”84” (?) Yellow-Green |
Used towards end of the war. Designation RLM 84 is speculatory. | FS:34554 | |||||||
Light Green-Grey | Used towards end of the war on lower surfaces of fighter a/c | FS:34583 (34672) | T:XF-21 | X:X007 | GS:H74 | ||||
Red Primer | Primer colour | FS:31310 | |||||||
1956- | |||||||||
Colour name | Comment | FS | Humbrol | Tamiya | Xtracolor | Polly S | Revell | Gunze Sangyo | Model Master |
RAL 1002 Sandgelb | FS:10260 | Rev:11 Sand yellow | |||||||
RAL 1007 Chrome Yellow | FS:33538 | Hu:188/154 Insignia yellow | |||||||
RAL 1026 | Hu:194 | Rev:312 Fluorescent yellow | |||||||
RAL 1028 | Hu:197 | Rev:310 Lufthansa yellow | |||||||
RAL 2004 | Hu:18 | Rev:30 Orange | |||||||
RAL 2005 Leuchtorange | Hu:192 Dayglo orange? | X:X253 | |||||||
RAL 3000 | Bright red | FS:21105 | Hu:60(19) | Rev:330 | |||||
RAL 3004 | Hu:20/107 | Rev:331 Crimson | |||||||
RAL 3022 Salmon pink | |||||||||
RAL 3026 | Hu:209 | Rev:332 Fire orange | |||||||
RAL 5008 Graublau | X:X264 | Rev:351 | |||||||
RAL 5013 | Hu:198 | Rev:350 Lufthansa blue | |||||||
RAL 5014 Pigeon blue | FS:35488 | Hu:157 | |||||||
RAL 6003 Olivegrun | FS:34102 | Hu:86 | X:X261 | Rev:361 | |||||
RAL 6014 Gelboliv | FS:24064 | Hu:155 | X:X251 | ||||||
RAL 6020 Chrome green | FS:34079 | Hu:116(195) | Rev:363 Dark Green | ||||||
RAL 7000 Squirrel grey | FS:35237 | Hu:145 | Rev:57 Medium Grey | ||||||
RAL 7001 Silbergrau | FS:36375 | Hu:64/127 | X:X255 | Rev:374 | |||||
RAL 7005 Mouse grey | Hu:140 | Rev:47 | |||||||
RAL 7009 Grungrau | Hu:(116)91 | X:X256 | Rev:67 | ||||||
RAL 7011 Iron grey | FS:36118 | Hu:125 | |||||||
RAL 7012 Basaltgrau | FS:26152 | Hu:(27)79 | X:X254 | Rev:77 | |||||
RAL 7013 Brown grey | Hu:98 | Rev:46 | |||||||
RAL 7021 Schwartzgrun | X:X262 | Rev:9 | |||||||
RAL 7023 Dunkelgrau | Hu:141 Concrete grey | X:X263 | |||||||
RAL 7030 Steingrau | X:X257 | Rev:75(162) | |||||||
RAL 7031 | Hu:27 | Rev:79 Sea Grey | |||||||
RAL 7032 Pebble grey | FS:36408 | Rev:70 | |||||||
RAL 7035 Lichtgrau | FS:35630 | Hu:196 | X:X260 | Rev:371 | |||||
RAL 7037 Staubraun | Hu:106 | X:X258 | |||||||
RAL 7038 Agate grey | Hu:183 | Rev:372 | |||||||
RAL 7039 Qaurzgrau | Hu:92 | X:X259 | |||||||
RAL 7042 Traffic grey A | FS:36270 | Hu:167 | |||||||
RAL 8017 | Brown | Hu:10 | |||||||
RAL 8023 | Leather brown | Hu:62 | Rev:85 | ||||||
RAL 9001 Cream | FS:37886 | Hu:34 | X:X252 | Rev:5 | |||||
RAL 9005 Jet black | FS:37038 | Hu:21/85 | Rev:7 | ||||||
RAL 9006 White aluminium | FS:17178 | Hu:56 | |||||||
RAL 9010 | Hu:22/130 | Rev:4 White (gloss?) | |||||||
RAL 9011 | Hu:33 | Rev:8 Black (matt?) |