White Ensign Luftwaffe colors

There is no serious model paint manufacturer who does not make colors for the Luftwaffe airplanes from the WW2 era. White Ensign as you know well manufacture a set of 21 color which cover period from 1935 up to the 1945 but also include interior colors. All colors are semi gloss and have very good covering. Colors are made in regard to the preserved factory manufacture list as well by comparing of the preserved camouflage colors.

In the first period of the Luftwaffe rebirth were used just few of the camouflage pattern but in the 1935 were proposed new set of colors and camouflage pattern. Naval planes wear overall RLM 02 Grau and this color was used also on some of the land planes. But main camouflage pattern was geometrical style with three new colors on the topside RLM 61, RLM 62, RLM 63 and on the underside was new light blue color RLM 65.

New period include replacing of exciting camouflage colors and most of the paints with new colors and camouflage pattern. New scheme was made with camouflage colors RLM 70 and RLM 71 and navy get RLM 72 and RLM 73. Underside stays the same as before RLM 65. Soon one of the older color was included RLM 02 and new camouflage pattern was made in regard to the combat experience and fighter planes get color scheme with RLM 02 and RLM 71 on the topside.

Africa theatre in a reason of its landscape requested all new color set. There were some various experiments but in general color set used there was RLM 78, RLM 79 and RLM 80.

In the 1940 was made first test with completely new camouflage color set where the grey colors get more importance then previously natural earth colors. New color was applied on fighters and this color was RLM 74, RLM 75 and RLM 76 for the underside. Sometimes on the fuselage sides was used spot in the RLM 02. This color set for fighters last until the end of war and from the 1944 new color set appeared and again set of green colors was introduced and this was RLM 81, RLM 82 and RLM 83. This color was used in their own pattern but also was used pattern of new green RLM 82 and early grey RLM 75.

White Ensign covers all of this main period and their colors could be used on the complete variety of camouflage pattern used on Luftwaffe warplanes. Still not enough researched and unknown is era before 1935 and some of the German export colors but I hope that this data will be founded and use on new colors. Colors are accurate in the appearance and dry few hours. In all aspect this color are designed to match highest requirement of the plastic kit modeler.

Srecko Bradic

Sample color provided by John Snyder from White Ensign