Colour Conundrums of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain Part 1
Scale Aircraft Modelling|November 2020
Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order (CAFO)477/40 'Colouring and Markings of British,French and German Aircraft' dated 23 March 1940 provides a useful summary of British knowledge and understanding of Luftwaffe camouflage and marking practice at the start of the period under examination here.
Paul Lucas
Colour Conundrums of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain Part 1

Section III was headed 'German Military Aircraft' and read as follows:

'(A) Camouflage and Colouring.

(i) Upper surfaces are painted dark olive green.

(ii) Under surfaces are usually painted light sky blue.

(B) National markings.

(i) A black Greek cross on both sides of the fuselage and upper and under surfaces of the wing tips.

(ii) a black Swastika on both sides of the tail plane.

(C) Aircraft letters.

A combination of letters and numbers is shown on the sides of the fuselage.'

The description of Luftwaffe camouflage and markings contained in this CAFO can probably be taken as an indication of what British pilots were told to expect Luftwaffe aircraft to look like when they met them in combat. This description was what was considered to be normal and thus anything that did not appear to match this description would have been considered abnormal and thus worthy of being reported.

The reports quoted here have been accepted in good faith, as being accurate descriptions of what the pilots concerned thought they saw. Irrespective of whether the colour schemes described actually existed or not, they represent variations from the norm, and it is not the author’s intent to try and make the case that any of the finishes described here saw widespread use. It may be the case that the finish was limited only to the particular aircraft reported, or a relatively small number of aircraft from the same unit. If aircraft from the same unit were reported using similar nomenclature on different days in different reports, this might give the impression that a particular scheme was more widely used than was actually the case.

This story is from the November 2020 edition of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2020 edition of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SCALE AIRCRAFT MODELLINGView All
Mustard
Scale Aircraft Modelling

Mustard

BAC's Low Speed Research Vehicle

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2023
KOVOZAVODY PROSTEJOV (KP) 1 Was Monty's Triple'
Scale Aircraft Modelling

KOVOZAVODY PROSTEJOV (KP) 1 Was Monty's Triple'

Brian Derbyshire

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2022
SPECIAL HOBBY SAAB J-21A Review
Scale Aircraft Modelling

SPECIAL HOBBY SAAB J-21A Review

From the late 1930s and early 1940s, with thewar in Europe raging around them andedging ever closer to its borders, the Flygvapnet had ordered Seversky P-35A aircraft, alongside Vultee Vanguards, but only sixty of the former and none of the latter were received.

time-read
8 mins  |
November 2022
VFR MODELS Beagle B.121 Pup
Scale Aircraft Modelling

VFR MODELS Beagle B.121 Pup

This is the first 3D printed kit I have come across and it is really rather fine.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2022
Hearts in the sky RIAT RETURNS
Scale Aircraft Modelling

Hearts in the sky RIAT RETURNS

After a nearly three-year hiatus RIAT returned to our skies with a hot show in every sense of the word. SAM’s Mike Verier and Ray Ball were there.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2022
Colour Conundrum
Scale Aircraft Modelling

Colour Conundrum

A Cancellation Conundrum - The RAF F-111s That Might Have Been Part 1

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
COPPER CAUDRON Caudron G.Ill in 1/32
Scale Aircraft Modelling

COPPER CAUDRON Caudron G.Ill in 1/32

Copper State Models have carved a name for themselves in the last few years producing high quality plastic kits of  World War One subjects.

time-read
10 mins  |
November 2022
Academy RF-8A Crusader Conversion in 1/72
Scale Aircraft Modelling

Academy RF-8A Crusader Conversion in 1/72

USMC squadron VMCJ-2 used six RF-8As during the Crisis (designation F8U-1P until September 1962), with others held in reserve, two flying out of Guantanamo Bay, and four out of NAS Key West.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2022
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Scale Aircraft Modelling

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Modelling US reconnaissance assets in 1/72 Part 2: The Nuclear Confrontation

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2022
UKRAINIAT striker
Scale Aircraft Modelling

UKRAINIAT striker

The Sukhoi Su-24 is an all-weather attack aircraft capable of supersonic speeds and characterised by its side-by-side pilot/navigator seating and its variable geometry wing.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2022