[Artist]

As an aviation artist I have corresponded with many Luftwaffe pilots. When asked, many have stated that any aircraft they flew for long periods( a few months) may have been touched up and repainted at times, especially when markings changed. Many times the paints they used where from local sorces. If they where stationed at an old French field they would use paints left by the French. Same would go for Russian airfields. They would mix these paints to get the color they wanted. Their is a photo of Dr.Helmut Bennemann Painting his 109 with a paintbrush on the Russian front. God only knows what colors he used. Many historians and artists insist on using the RLM color codes to guess at the colors of the aircraft. I believe this is possible in the bigining and the battles above Germany at the end because the aircraft where stationed in Germany and the RLM colors where available. I do believe the undersurfaces and the upper wings stayed the origanal color in most cases. Just something to think about. Robert