Hello, my friends! 👋 If you're down here in the comments section to ask why a certain symbol is missing from the reference images included in this video… I'll save you some typing 😉 RU-vid ads contribute greatly to my ability to produce content like this, and I cannot risk jeopardizing that by receiving a community guidelines violation or other cause for demonetization. Beyond that… there are enough problems in the world today, and I personally don't want to disseminate "that" particular shape any more than it's already out there. No… I'm not erasing history. If you're watching a nerdy video like this on Luftwaffe paints, you certainly know what's painted on the tail there. Please enjoy this history lesson for what it is: a lecture on paint colors. Cheers!
@@ImJeff1965 the balkenkreuz has been used by the German military for well over 100 years, and the modern-day Bundeswehr still uses an Iron Cross for their emblem. And conflating the shape of an airplane to a symbol used to identify a political party & hate organization? Not a valid comparison. History is history, you're right - and in this video, I'm trying to teach about history without these kinds of distractions.
@@SpruesNBrews I’m not conflating anything. The people you are self-censoring to are conflating everything these days… they will come for the rest of the speech eventually if we don’t stand up and speak the truth …
I'm a Bf-109 authist first of all, so let's begin: - that restored Bf-109G-10 was a Bf-109G-10/U4 (antenna mast was added later in Yugoslavia), while Hartmann's aircraft was Erla built G-10 with small bulges on it's wings; chevron was white outline only without green filling; camouflage pattern of RLM 76/75/83 - once LW switched to spine only camouflaged schemes after the Polish campaign, it was RLM 02/71 in probably all examples - The grey era started to transform into RLM 76/75/83 (dark green) since autumn of 1944 with the introduction of new colors while the G-14, G-14/AS and G-10s were the vast majority of produced airframes, so these are the messy ones in terms of picking the right colors - RLM 82 was hardly used on 109s, the exceptions are few known Erla- built very late G-10s or overhauled by Erla standard G6/14s - There are at least 3 shades of RLM 81 and only one is brown; one of them is an olive drab and one is more pure green between RLM 82 and 83 - Some late Erla 109s were painted in RLM 81 (olive) overall with only undersides of wings and stabilisers in RLM 76 + natural metal combination - there was also yellowish tone RLM 76 aka RLM 84 (this number started circulating after the war) similar to Sky Type S, sprayed late in a war mostly with combination of RLM 81/83, but it was sometimes used with RLM 75/83 and even grey K-4s When it comes to Messerschmitts, everything was fine and pretty much clear until the autumn of 1944 when new colors were entering the scene while manufacturers still had socks of old paints. Airframes from one production block differed between each other. Having the original photos of aircraft, some time and effort to brose the forums is the only way to at least try recreating the proper look of the chosen subject
Hmmm! quite close but no cigar. The true green era for fighters lasted only until the Polish campaign, after that the Luftwaffe started substituting RLM02 on the upper surfaces usually replacing RLM 70 so that by the France/Low Countries campaign the standard fighter camo was RLM 02, 71, 65 with a high demarcation on the fuselage sides. This was a hard edged splinter camo. Mottling was often field applied as you describe. There is some evidence to suggest that in the later stages of the Battle of Britain, late September 40 on, as the fighting crept up into higher altitudes the Luftwaffe started using greys rather than greens and a lighter shade of undersurface blue. This became the basis for the Grey scheme RLMs 74, 75, 76 which was in use by spring 41, 18 months earlier than you suggest, and became more prevalent as older airframes were retired or units re-equipped. At this time the splinter shape of the camo remained largely the same but used a soft edge and sweeping curves rather than sharp angles. I would refer readers to Luftwaffe Colours 1935 - 1945 by Michael Ullmann published by Hikoki Publications in the UK, 2008. There may be a different publisher in the US by now.
'...The true green era for fighters lasted only until the Polish campaign, after that the Luftwaffe started substituting RLM02 on the upper surfaces usually replacing RLM 70 so that by the France/Low Countries campaign the standard fighter camo was RLM 02, 71, 65 with a high demarcation on the fuselage sides...' I don't know what references you are using to state this, but it certainly did not apply to Bf 110s...
@@MothaLuva If you knew who I am, then I don't think you would try to teach me details of the Bf 110. I know that 'Zerstörer' was the nickname given to it. The original RLM specification was for three things: fighter; fighter-bomber, and recce.
Just happened upon this video. I was there the day you were filming and caught a slight cameo of myself at the 11:42 mark. Very informative and well done.
We visited this museum two years ago... mainly to show our respect for the Panther!! It is an absolutely amazing museum... everything is just brilliant. 👍🏾🇺🇸
Hi, it's a very interesting video that I have just more or less stumbled across. Many thanks Hank! In my time as an active model builder with many historically relevant documents etc. the book: Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft: 1935-1945 was the reading of choice for colors, schemes but also rather special things like: * Omitting paint on the undersides of the wings (there was even an official instruction on this) * Use of a primer on the undersides (what is often seen as RLM 84) instead of RLM76 * Red/white paintwork on the FW190 of JV44 Jagdschutz Colors, schemes etc. was and is, in my opinion, a very, very interesting topic, especially from 1943 to 1945.
Thank you for the work you've doing. My two sons are avid modelers who put in as much or more time into research before a project as they do the actual build. This quality of content is a great help! Coincidentally, they are both docents at AHM.
Very early LW fighters and bombers were painted L40/52, He 51 and very early Bf 109in Spain, for example. There exists a colour photo of this scheme, the colour was designed for Deutsche Luft Hansa.
Thanks for a informative video on the Luftwaffe colors. My interest has tended towards American / British subjects, but I do occasionally build German / Japanese aircraft. I often read the discussions amongst enthusiast's on the intricacies of Luftwaffe aircraft and wonder if I would ever really understand the subject matter that well. Thanks for shedding some clarity on the subject.
Thanks for the video! It nicely sums up German fighter camouflage. I’ve always found German camouflage at least somewhat easy to research on my own, though I can’t say the same for Japanese aircraft
Hank... I hope you had time to say hello to that magnificent Panther tank that lives at the museum. We visited roughly two years ago... the 88mm AA display, Stug, etc, etc... everything is just so well done. Count me as your newest subscriber!! 👍🏾🇺🇸
Very clear summary - Thanks. Prior I was using the well researched AK real color book on ww2 aircraft schemes which goes into great detail. They released small RC box sets for each period as well.
Apparently, early German aircraft ('35-42) were hand painted and further camo/identification was added in the field with whatever implements were on hand, including brushes and brooms. Eastern Front aircraft had white paint or whitewash splashed on with these implements for snow camo. When modeling these aircraft, I prefer to hand paint to get the "sharp" edges on the camo, not the fuzzy edges of spray paint.
Early fighters were painted RLM 63, not 02, they are two very close but clearly different shades and if 02 is used when it's not the required colour (yes, there were some aircraft painted in 02, liaison, trainers, but not front line units until 71/02 in BoB ) it turns out to be quite obvious when the model is painted overall with it. There are some fine 63 colours out there to use despite it's trickiness due to the apparent closeness to 02, still there are some. Hataka comes to my mind, Akan also, some others have nice 63 paints, sadly not all the paint makers though.
If you're looking for the whole lineup of Luftwaffe RLM paints. I would check out MRP paints. They're a little bit expensive but they're pre thinned and ready to go right out of the bottle. I use them and l like the way the spray.
I almost expected Hank to say "j/k... these aren't real aircraft, they're scale models I painted. I'm just playing with my new green screen." I just learned from a Tamiya Bf-109 kit that Germany used a LOT of greys. Even the topside green is "Green-grey." Along with the "Violet-grey." Their "RLM Grey" is very grey, or Grey-grey, or what I called it: grey AF. The "German Grey" is almost black so I went with a slightly lighter color than the guides. I always mix my own colors and so far have always had great results. I just mixed the right olive drab for a P-51D I'm working on atm. It's 1 drop Vallejo Olive Green to 2 drops Vallejo Dark Earth.
This modeller has made a Bf-109F in five shades of grey, quite provable from photos the lichtgrau underside, two shades of grey splinter top camouflage, and mottles in two MORE shades, including RLM Farbton 02. The interior is in a sixth grey, RLM Farbton 66. Just for fun, all true.
For modellers: in 1:72 put 36% white into each colour and in 1:48 put 24% white into each colour. Result is much more realistic. Because the same colour appears darker for our eyes on little areas. So a lot of models appear way to dark and not realistic.
Fantastic video! I always thought that the more RLM 65 on the side of the fuselage denoted earlier war aircraft, but I had it backwards! Now time to dive into the nitty-gritty of special color variations and types of splinter camo! Another related topic for a future video like this would be for the camo for RAF fighter aircraft since they were pretty standard too, for the most part. Would it be possible to post in the comments the translations for these colors for other popular brands of paint like Tamiya or Gunze?
Nice video. I am curious of the more odd schemes such as 81/82/83 and the use of that weird light yellow green RLM 99, seems to me that might just been a primer?
Interesting and informative video... Being a Bf/Me 109 fanboy, I have to get up to this museum. You don't see a lot of 109's and a restored original G-10 is pretty darn rare. I think there's one other original G-10 in a museum in Ohio. The one out West is a hodgepodge of parts that sort of resemble a G-10, but it's not clear that's what it started off as. The only flying "G-10" in Germany may be a Buchon, with a few original parts (from a war era plane). Not sure if it's a "true" G-10. Great stuff... Thanks for sharing!
Very helpfull video. I use AK 3rd Gen mostly and I've noticed that the RLM 71 from that line has a more brown hue and the Mig Ammo has a clear green hue. Do you have any idea how to identify the correct hues for ww2 paints? RLM 65 also looks quite different between brands.
Sorry, but you forgot RLM63 grey-green color in Spain Civil War, it widely used for plenty Legion's Kondor german plaines in fact, RLM02 entering later near the end of this war!
Hank, I'm an modern armor guy, mostly Warsaw Pact and later kind of stuff. I'm looking to do a 1/32 Me-262A-1A just to kind of mix things up a little. I've found some good pictures of one called "Green One". Do you have any thoughts on a light green and a dark green? I like the simple, angular pattern of the stripes!
I understand that for various reasons you ballparks the general trends of the Luftwaffe 's camo. schemes, but I've heard they sometimes used experimental schemes too. I've also seen photos from the early war where they borrowed enemy schemes too. Do you intend too do a video on these? If not do you know if a source for them?
Hey man, love that museum, I was just wondering how I would go about painting the Tamyia bf109 e-4 trop, I want to do the A variant but it says that it needs can paints and I would prefer to use a airbrush for the finer details, I was just wondering if there were any other colors that I could use to get the same look but use my airbrush instead, love the video.
Ah nice! Sounds like a great project - check out the section on "Tropical" fighters in this video for paint reference, and then you can use the links I have down in the description to pick up some airbrush paints that I've found work really well! Cheers & happy building!
@@SpruesNBrews I don't think you know as much about German WW2 fighter camo as I do. I'm not disclosing who I am at present. However, 21st July 1940, 5F+CM, a Bf 110 C-5, of 4.(F)/14 shot down and belly-landed in England after combat with 238 Squadron definitely had 71/02 top surface camouflage. There are enough RAF photos of this aircraft which shows this clearly.
So we a German WW2 fighter plane in the "American Heritage" Museum. So the US did not defeat Germany in WW2 and took this plane as a spoil of war but inherited it?
Приветствую! Это история, а моделизим тем более вне всяких предрассудков. Проблема с палитрой немецких самолетов актуальна, фото есть, но цветопередача порой не дает четкого представления. Много споров по желтому немецкому, но у нас еще в горах на Севере лежат обломки He-111. На заканцовках крыла желтый светлый, яркий. Спасибо за видео!👍✊️
Hi, Mr. Hank, from a rather cold and rainy North of England UK. Thanks for such an in-depth and fascinating vid my friend and the insignia one was top drawer also. I did have to chuckle to myself, when watching you at the Heritage Museum, how the 109G canopy, functional, but was so exquisitely over engineered as to be an art work. I look forward to the next instalment. Take care and happy modeling mate....
