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Old 11th March 2005, 22:31
markjsheppard markjsheppard is offline
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Weinrot

Ralph

After your observation I spoke with Ken.

I will include the relevant part of his reply.

I have now had some quick exchanges with Robert (Forsyth) about the odd coloured chip in the 1936 facsimile chart (it would be that one!). As I have not seen a copy of the book I am relying on his descriptions and the conversation he had with Jürgen (Kiroff), but I think the details below are correct now.

It seems that Jürgen Kiroff's instructions to Muster Schmidt (who prepared the actual colour cards and applied the colours) were either flawed or Muster Schmidt misread one reference. The mystery colour is actually 'Flieglack 7142 rot braun' - a primer colour used on fabric. It was intended to include this colour, but on a separate colour card dealing with colours not related to a camouflage finish. The production of the actual lacquers and their aplication to the facsimile cards has been done in Germany, under the supervision of Jürgen Kiroff, the UK publisher and myself not being party to this part of the production cycle. Had I seen the actual card before it was released I would have picked the wrong colour instantly, as would have Jürgen Kiroff, but no one at Muster Schmidt was in possession of the necessary knowledge of Luftwaffe colours to detect that discrepancy. Their role was the technical process of preparing facsimile cards and applying the colours to them. Because of the delays in perfecting the spraying system for this job, the cards then went directly from Muster Schmidt to the book bindery storage in the UK, bypassing the production team completely.
The only saving grace in the situation is that the book does contain other colour cards (such as the 1938 facsimile card) which has the correct RLM 28 colour shade shown on it. The customer has not been deprived of the full range of information - but all of us would have preferred the mistake not to have happened. An errata will be issued with volume two and possibly a replacement colour chip for the 1936 facsimile card, but the latter option is something about which Ian Allan will no doubt care to make an announcement in due course.

I am concerned at the moment only with getting the information out to
the public that while there has been a mistake, it does not detract
from the factual nature of the book. If you want to go onto the web
site where you found the message from Herr Zimmer and post the main
portion of this note to you, be my guest.


So a minor mistake which shall be retified one way or another.

Hope this helps

regards

Mark
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