GERMAN ARMY PAINTS 1939-45
To sum-up the question of paint on our military vehicles, here is the result of my research:
As you can see on war-time pictures, the problem is far from simple: first we have the civilian vehicles comandeered by the Army; some were used as is, in their original black lacker, with chromium-plated accessories and even somtimes their civilian licence-plate; some went through the whole war like this. Others were repainted, sone or several times; the coulour used then was that in vigour for military vehicles. Finally we have the purely military vehicles, built under contract for the government, which were delivered in their military paint.
We will now concentrate on these paint colours, and how they have changed in time, concentrating on the biggest user: the ground forces (Wehrmacht and SS )
- Before 1940 there are two colours Dunkelgraue (dark grey) RAL (Note 1) : 7021 and Dunkelbraun (dark brown) RAL : 7017, mixed 2/3 dark grey and 1/3 dark brown, and this until 1939.
In 1940 the Heeresmitteilungen (Army notification) HM Nr 864 orders the Dunkelgraue colour as standard for all vehicles; it will remain until the end of 1942.
- In the African theater: vehicules go there in their "continental" garb, as nothing has been prepared; hence improvisation and ingenuity: vehicles are sprayed with a mixture of oil and sand over the original colour, with paint captured from the ennemy, or even the Italian Army Pea Green colour.
It is only in 1941 that HM Nr 281 will give the typical colours of the African campaign: Gelbbraun (tan brown) RAL 8000, which in fact is rather a mustard colour, and Graugrün (grey green) RAL 7008, which are sprayed or brushed over the original paint; Gelbbraun being the most widely used colour. Depending on season and surroundings, various mixtures are used, in particular a dark brown: 2/3 RAL 8000 + 1/3 RAL 7008, this leading to a great variety of colours depending on the proportions of the mix.
In 1942, followingr HM N°315, two new colours appear: Braun (brown) RAL 8020 et Grau (grey) RAL 7027 with a mix of 2/3 Braun for 1/3 Grau ; the two previous colours (Gelbbraun and Graugrün) remain in use.
- For the Russian campaign, the question of camouflage has to be solved at the beginning of the first winter (1941) and here again, every available mean is drafted into use; the problem is not simple, because if the vehicle can be painted in white, it will have to regain its original colour easily at the end of the winter.
A reasonably easy solution s to cover all vehicles with a lime whitewash (Kalkanstrich); depending on how well the whitewash fared, one could see every shade from bright white to dirty grey.
- In 1943, basic change in the colour of military hardware: HM Nr 181 orders the Dunkelgelb (dark tan) colour RAL 7028 to be used for all military vehicles, whatever the theater of operations. In theory everything should have been repainted, but in practice you could still find anything at the end of the war. This colour is often mistaken for the Afrika (RAL 8000) from which it differs makedly, being a sand-coloured tan instead of a mustard yellow.
- A three-colours cammouflage was introdused in February 1943; almost unknown in Africa, it was made of Olivegrün (olive green) RAL : 6003 , Rot Braun (red brown) RAL 8017 et Dunkelgelb (dark tan).
Later every possible variation will be encountered, in colours: tan with red and green patches, tan with green patches, green with tan patches, etc. as well as in shapes: patches, wavy lines, etc... Note also the use in armoured formations of the antimagnetic «zimérit » paint, together with all other colours. One made do whith what one had.
