Small Scale Military Headquarters

Hi guys. Here is a list I've been putting together on acrylic RLM colors. I've been searching the web for HOURS looking at pics of the different shades people chose for RLM colors using acrylics. These are the ones I think looked the best.

This is just a fast draft with parts copied from forums. No way near finished. Just a bunch of notes on what I like best basically.
I figured someone might get a little use out of it. Looks like the Vallejo color is supposed to be the closest to the real RLM 71/70. I've been focusing mainly on finding a good RLM 70/71 match. I will look for good matches for the rest of the RLM colors in acrylic form soon..

Reichsluftfahrt Ministerium (State Ministry for Aviation), RLM Colors of the German Luftwaffe in Acrylic
*Last updated: 12/09/11*
-----------------------------------------------
German fighter schemes in a nut shell/fast reference.

Pre-war splinter scheme: RLM-61/62/63 over 65

Very early fighter biplanes, experimental aircraft: RLM-63(Later named RLM-02) overall

Splinter scheme - all aircraft until the end of 1939. (No seaplanes).
After that mostly bombers,ground attack aircraft, and transports: RLM-70/71 over 65

Seaplanes: RLM-72/73 over 65

Fighters - French campaign, Battle of Britain, ect. until 1941: RLM-70/02/65, 70/71/65, and 71/02/65.

Standard two tone Grey scheme on fighters from 1941-1944 (Maybe into 1945): RLM-74/75 over 76

Desert scheme: 79/80 over 78, RLM 79 over 78, RLM 79 over 70/71/65

Late war schemes, fighters, 1944-1945: Many color combinations from the RLM 80 series: RLM-82/83 over 76, 81/82 over 76, 81/82 over 84, 82/83 over 84, RLM 84 and 76 mixed, I.E. RLM 76 lower with 84 sides, etc.


*Nightfighter schemes soon*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal favorites of mine.

*Needs editing*
RLM 76: Vallejo Air VA-046 pale blue grey

RLM 02: Vallejo Model air Va-044

RLM 71: Vallejo Model color VC-893: Polly scale RLM 71: XF-62(1) + XF-49(1):

RLM 70: Vallejo model Color VC-897: Polly scale RLM 70: XF-27:

RLM 79: Vallejo model air Va-034

RLM 74: Vallejo Model Air VA-054 Dark Grey Blue/ Pollyscale RLM 74?

RLM 75: Model Air VA-052 German Grey/ Pollyscale RLM 75?

RLM 65: Vallejo model Air VA-008 Pale blue plus a touch of VA-046

RLM 80: Model Air VA-017 Russian Green

RLM 81: Model Air VA-043 Olive Drab + pinch of Vallejo VA-041 to add redish hue

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tamiya recommended RLM colors.


RLM 02:- XF22:1 + XF49:1 (I add white to taste)
RLM 65:- XF23:1 + XF2:1
RLM 66:- XF22:1 + XF-8:1
RLM 70:- XF27
RLM 71:- XF62:1 + XF49:1 : (Alternate 71 Which I'm unsure on) XF-61 dark green XF62:6 + XF58:2 + XF2:3
RLM 74:- XF24:3 + XF27:2
RLM 75:- XF24:5 + XF50:1
RLM 76:- XF2:7 + XF23:1 + XF66:2
RLM 79:- XF59:3 + XF64:1
RLM 80:- XF58
RLM 81:- XF51:1 + XF64:2
RLM 82:- XF5 or XF5:1 + XF2:1 or XF5:1 +XF3:1 (Bright Green)
RLM 83:- XF61 or XF24:1 + XF51:1 (Dark Green)

Notes: Their 70/71 mix looks very appealing to the eye, especially after shading and highlighting.

Highlight and shade mixes:

RLM 71:- (XF62:1 + XF49:1) Highlights: Add a few drops of XF-3 yellow. Shadows: Add a few drops of XF-27 (RLM70).

RLM 70:- (XF27) Highlights: Add a few drops of XF-3 yellow or a few drops of XF-2 white. Shadows: Add a few drops of XF-1 Black.

For all other colors (Including the Rlm 70/71), just adding white and black to taste to darken/lighten th color works very well for highlighting and shading. Remember, you just don't wan't too significant of a difference. To shadow and highlight, highlighting/fading is where the center of the panel/surface is sprayed with a slightly light color. Shadowing is where the panel lines, rivets, and recesses are sprayed with a slightly darker color. Not heavily, just to bring out details.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't say much for Gunze ATM. Do not use them often enough but here's
what people seam to like.


Gunze RLM02 (Mr. Hobby/color C60)
Gunze RLM66 (Mr. Hobby/color C116)
Gunze RLM70 (Mr. Hobby/color C18)
Gunze RLM71 (Mr. Hobby/color C17)
Gunze RLM74 (Mr. Hobby/color C36)
Gunze RLM75 (Mr. Hobby/color C37)
Gunze RLM76 (Mr. Hobby/color C117)



_____________________________________________________________________
Could be most accurate acrylic RLM 71/70 colors: Vallejo model color-Not model air.

RLM 02: Grey: VMC 70886: Interior Colour. Cockpit area until November 1941. Fuselage interior etc. All over on Prototypes


RLM 23: Red: VMC 70817: ID Markings/ Fire Extinguisher & Lines


RLM 24: Blue: VMC 70963: ID Markings/ Oxygen Cylinder & Lines


RLM 25: Green: VMC 70970: Coolant Lines


RLM 26: Brown: VMC 70982: Oil lines


RLM 27: Yellow: VMC 70831: Fuel Lines


RLM 65v.2/RLM 76: VMC 70907


RLM65v.1: Lightblue: VMC 70906: Lower Surfaces 1940


RLM 66: Black Grey: VMC 70866 :Cockpit interior after November 1941/cockpit panel surfaces only prior to Nov.1941.


RLM 70: Black Green: VMC 70897:Steel prop blades & splinter camouflage


RLM 71: DarkGreen: VMC 70893 :wood prop blades with a semi-gloss clear coat protectant & splinter camouflage

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Taken from a forum.

"Cockpit/engine panel interior

General colour RLM02 - Vallejo Model Colour 886

Control Panels/radios etc RLM66 Vallejo Model Colour 866

Exterior Colours

Lower Colour European West & East, Baltic & Northern Theatres

Prior to November 1941 this was RLM 65v.1 Matched to VMC 906

Post November 1941 this was changed to RLM65v.2. Matched to VMC 907

Mediterranian Theatre Lower Colour

RLM78 - VMC 961

It is possible that the underside colour was changed to match the general theatre colour of aircraft while the top remained RLM72/73 but I have not found any supporting evidence.

UPPER SURFACE HARD LINE SPLINTER PATTERN

For Seaplanes and maritime recon aircraft this remained the same throughout the war in all theatres and is RLM72/73

RLM72 matched to VMC980

RLM73 matched to VMC895

Vallejo Model Colour Numbers and Names as referenced above

RLM02 - VMC 70886 Green Grey

RML65v.1 - VMC 70906 Pale Blue

RLM65v.2 - VMC 70907 Pale Grey Blue

RLM66 - VMC 70886 Grey Green

RLM72 - VMC 70980 Black Green

RLM73 - VMC 70895 Gunship Green

RLM78 - VMC 70961 Sky Blue

These as I have said further up are 100% shade matched to original shade cards and should give you a fantastic authentic paint job."

Excellent reference

Can you do one next for armor?

I've been in a bit of a fudge trying to find just the right shade of gray for my 1:6 Panzer II (its in that lighter field gray seen on early-war German armored vehicles). The "German Gray" or "Panzer Gray" colors offered by Tamiya or Testors, etc are all just a tad too dark...

What's RLM?

Reichs Luftfahrt Ministerium......Ministry of German Aircraft Manufacturing.

tmanthegreat wrote:Excellent reference

Can you do one next for armor?

I've been in a bit of a fudge trying to find just the right shade of gray for my 1:6 Panzer II (its in that lighter field gray seen on early-war German armored vehicles). The "German Gray" or "Panzer Gray" colors offered by Tamiya or Testors, etc are all just a tad too dark...

In acrylics?
AFAIK panzer colors are labeled RAL something.


I can start working on a panzer color chart. For the most part, you just have to get a good base color and then darken/lighten to taste. Panzer colors come in lots of shades and differ a lot. As for panzer Grey, it usually is pretty dark and slightly blue tinted. Just slightly.
I will work on the paner colors soon! Just want to keep working on the luftwaffe until I'm happy with the results. I will list them in order of which brand and paint looks the best.


I'm doing these charts to figure out my favorite acrylic examples. I will be picking up the tamiya (Once in stock) and polly scale to try out and see if my research is correct. First I am going to try the Vallajo for the RLM 71/70.

I also need a chart color chart for armor.I am about to paint a tank.I notice how the yellow base color on Normandy looks a little yellow-green. Is there a reason for this base looking different from the yellow base color used in Russia? I have been looking for answers for this in Google,but found nothing.

Just color variations. Main difference between eastern front and west, the actual camo styles and color choices.

One thing you must keep in mind. You can have the same panzer yellow base on two vehicles. One with, red-brown camo patterns, the other with green patterns. Your eye will see the panzer yellow as different shades sometimes depending on the camo pattern. Just thought I would mention that.

Panzer camo is REALLY easy once you've found a good set/mix of dark yellow, red-brown, and green. You can alter you panzer yellow by tinting it green slightly, adding white to lighten it, adding more yellow and white to brighten it., ect.

I really like the Vallejo model air VA-025, for panzer yellow. It is a dark panzer yellow which I like. That means it's in the darkest state you would see panzer yellow. That way, it's real easy to lighten with white to achieve lighter shades.
http://www.coloradominiatures.com/VA-025.aspx

If we started with a light panzer yellow, it would be harder to darken it and still keep it's yellow color.
The VA-025 is a good all purpose panzer yellow in the Vallejo range. I am going to start tinkering with tamiya acrylics soon, If they ever are in stock again...

I also like these as good all purpose red brown and green. Again, they are dark so they can be lightened or applied dark.

http://www.coloradominiatures.com/VA-011.aspx
http://www.coloradominiatures.com/VA-041.aspx

I really like Colorado miniatures for buying my vallejo stuff. I just give him a call and ask him what's in stock, and he'll go check. That way, you wont get a box missing a few paints.

Here is a lineup of basically all the model air paints.

http://www.coloradominiatures.com/search.aspx?find=VA

I would recommend anything from VA-011 to VA-019 for panzer green. Panzer colors come it lots of shades.

I will have to make a good check list of colors in acrylic form for panzers plus a check list of the colors the real tanks used. The official stuff.

Remember, Model air is ready for an airbrush for the most part, model color is not and needs to be thinned. Vallejo is usually great! Some of their colors really suck!!! Mainly non military colors like yellow, red, blue, ect. Their white and black are pretty good though.

Hope this helps for now.

Updated.

flyboy_fx wrote:Updated.

Thanks for the information.This will save me a lot of reserch time.I was even looking at some pictures of German tanks in a museum and even if they where in the same museum the colors that they where painted specially the base yellow was very different one from the other.
The only logic explanation for this base color on Normandy been more greener(using my common scene) is that because the Patches of green where so big and there is less yellow showing,some of the over-spray when painting the big patches probably darken the yellow base as the mist in the air will tend to mix a little with the yellow base.Maybe to prove this theory i will have to paint with a fan on sort of like the mith buster show.Thanks for all the help i just hope that when i paint my tanks,they will at least look better than the factory 21st century toys paint.PS i was going to bid on the last building,but before i bid it went high.I see you have a future in making custom work.There is always something new to make so you will always have more work.Thanks again!

Thanks tank ace! Should have one more ruin up this Tuesday for a 5 dayer. It depends though, I'm really busy atm.

Rememeber, there is LOADS of color variation with panzer yellow. From dark to light, Normandy would have seen it all.