Luftwaffe Ground Camouflage

[mikeshilton]

Are there any books that indicate what paint colours were used to camouflage airfield buildings?.

[Mermet]

Hi,

From some documents (I have to search for the references...) it seems that were the same colors as for the planes : basically RLM 81, RLM 82.
It's likely Ullmann's book tells something about that.

Cordially,
JCM

[SES]

Hi,
I am afraid that the answer is a little more complex than that.
First Luftwaffe "buildings" fall into many categories, please see:
http://www.gyges.dk/fliegerhorst_grove%20intro.htm
and this embedded link:
http://www.gyges.dk/Ausbau%20Nachwei...egerhorst..pdf

So a "building" could be anything from a wooden hut to a bunker with 3.50 m walls.
The Luftwaffe tried to construct barracks and buildings of local material in the local building style in order to blend the constructions with the surrounding landscape. So building style varied from region to region. On some constructions camouflage nets were used, mainly to wash out the shadow.
At Grove some wooden barracks and hangars were painted "pine tree green" others were painted to resemble Danish farm houses.
bregds
SES

[DeMePhi]

IIRC there was a lenghty chapter covering this matter in
V-Missiles of the Third Reich
The V-1 and V-2
Dieter Hölsken
Monogram Aviation Publications
1994.

I'm at work now and cannot verify the pages involved.

Very best regards,

Philippe

[mikeshilton]

Thankyou for the replies, I'm more interested in the likes of hangers, control tower etc, rather than bunkers and other such installations. There have been a number of photos on E-bay showing various buildings, a lot being wooden huts, some with two tone camouflage, I was just wondering if there were any laid down instructions.

[ChrisMAg2]

Since they are "buildings", they are (if ever) camouflaged with paints used for construction. These colors/ paints do not follow the RLM coloring standard (these are for a/c only), but the RAL (which is a general industrial standard) code for colors. Ofcourse this is also a matter of availaility. And especially later in the war, they used everything available.

And for occupied territory they would usually source the local market for anything equivalent/ compatible (Material and hue). If you would want to know the brand names for the (german) suppliers, you can assume the existing companies now, already existed then too.

[SES]

Hi,
For barracks I have found five methods of camouflage - just in Denmark.
1. A uniform deep green color.
2. Two tones of colors that cannot be determined.
3. Camouflaged as a farm building with white walls with black stripes mimicking the wood work.
4. Large barracks with dummies built across to break up the large construction.
5. A dazzle pattern of large sections of white and black in order to break up the shape and the shadow.

Brick buildings were camouflaged in two colors, with a false roof or not at all since, the Germans used the same bricks as used in the buildings "outside the fence".
So "camouflage" is above and beyond two tones of color.

In the cases where a uniform color was used at FlH Grove, it was Pine Tree Green. This was used for the hangars, many barracks and the control tower.

bregds
SES

[mikeshilton]

Thankyou for the additional info, it has helped me greatly.

[SES]

Hi Mike,
I'm glad you feel that way, cause it is not a simple subject.
bregds
SES

[edwest]

Here is a gentleman in the United States who may be able to help. If you read toward the end of this article:


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=11889867




Ed