Luftwaffe Aircraft Camouflage and Markings

[kgambit]

Originally Posted by Wurger

Thank you for these links.They wll come in handy undoubtedly.

For all kinds of German WW2 aircraft there were prepared camo schemes that clearly stated which colours should be used and how these should be painted.So my answer is yes the RLM did. Of course there were exceptions that might have occured in units.

Okay, some follow up questions:

1) Again the Regia Aeronautica dictated the change to "soft" edges for ALL aircraft camo schemes. Was the RLM dictate similiar in that the edges were UNIVERSALLY (albeit with the occassional exception as you noted) either soft or hard regardless of type of plane or did they vary across plane type? AND if they opted for one versus the other Universally, which one did the RLM mandate? Hard or Soft?

2) Where can one find a summary of the prepared camo schemes? I'm not refering to the colors here so much as the shapes of the camo schemes. I've found lots of references which outline which colors are used for specific planes. It's the layouts that I am looking for. Right now I have been relying on the camo schemes in kits but as we both know those can be dubious at times. Searching the web for an overall reference has not proven to be as useful as I had hoped. I would even settle for an in-print reference tome if you can provide a title and author.

[Wurger]

Ad 1. I haven't heard about the similar RLM order.All German WW2 planes were airbrushed in factories with using of paper masks.Of course during usage aircraft in units there was a need to repair or simply refresh a camo scheme.For some reasons it could be made in a hurry or without masks.That's way some different looking camo scheme appeared.More differences appeared at the war end when there was a lack of everything.There are known Bf109s with numbers painted with an airbrush direct on fuselage without any masks.What is more these were assembled with conponents made in different manufactures that used different paints or different layout of camo spots.

Ad 2. There are two volumes of Ken Merrick's books about LW camo schemes and paintings ( pics below).Also I have the AJ-Press series about LW colours but it is in Polish.And I haven't seen the series in English.Certainly there is a lot of books about the thread.

[Wayne Little]

Originally Posted by imalko

Is there some examples (photos or color profiles) of late war Bf 109Gs or Bf 109Ks painted with black outline fuselage crosses? I've noticed that some late war Messerschmitts had black outline under wing crosses, but crosses on the fuselage were mostly some variation with white outline. I'm curious if any Bf 109G and Ks wore black outline fuselage crosses as some Fw 190s did.

I know of one...now where is it?

[kgambit]

Originally Posted by Wurger

Ad 1. I haven't heard about the similar RLM order.All German WW2 planes were airbrushed in factories with using of paper masks.Of course during usage aircraft in units there was a need to repair or simply refresh a camo scheme.For some reasons it could be made in a hurry or without masks.That's way some different looking camo scheme appeared.More differences appeared at the war end when there was a lack of everything.There are known Bf109s with numbers painted with an airbrush direct on fuselage without any masks.What is more these were assembled with conponents made in different manufactures that used different paints or different layout of camo spots.

Ad 2. There are two volumes of Ken Merrick's books about LW camo schemes and paintings ( pics below).Also I have the AJ-Press series about LW colours but it is in Polish.And I haven't seen the series in English.Certainly there is a lot of books about the thread.

Thanks! I knew about Merrick's books but volume is out f print and has a price tag of almost 300$+ IF you can find one.

Have you seen Merrick's Photo Folio Volume 1?

[Wurger]

Rather no...I haven't

[phas3e]

I've seen 2 109s with Black crosses on the fuselage, one was a scrap heap photo which I cant find atm and the other is in

'Camouflage and markings of ANR' pg285

109G14 W.Nr.464380 "Yellow 1" 5 Squadriglia 2 Gr

[Wayne Little]

Another is Yellow 5 of JG53, noted as a late G

Modellers Datafile Part 2 F to K variants by Lynn Ritger.

[imalko]

Originally Posted by Wayne Little

Another is Yellow 5 of JG53, noted as a late G

Modellers Datafile Part 2 F to K variants by Lynn Ritger.

Can you post picture or color profile of that Bf 109, Wayne?

[Njaco]

Along with the books that Wurger provided, I would also suggest this series, especially the first as it contains alot of the orders for what exactly the camo and markings should be.

[Wurger]

Yep...the one is of the most interesting series I have ever seen.

[Wayne Little]

Originally Posted by imalko

Can you post picture or color profile of that Bf 109, Wayne?

I'll scan it on the weekend!

[Wayne Little]

Originally Posted by Wayne Little

Another is Yellow 5 of JG53, noted as a late G

Modellers Datafile Part 2 F to K variants by Lynn Ritger.

Here ya go Igor...and other interested parties...

[imalko]

Thanks very much Wayne.

[Wayne Little]

Your welcome!

[kgambit]

Originally Posted by Njaco

Along with the books that Wurger provided, I would also suggest this series, especially the first as it contains alot of the orders for what exactly the camo and markings should be.

Thanks for the tips, Njaco and Wojtek as well. I've managed to expand my library of research material by a LOT thanks to my wife's heads up at a garage sale. I managed to get a complete set of the Monogram close-ups and a bunch of pdf's with virtually the entire Jagdwaffe series on them along with a bunch of other goodies.