Color Question

[klemchen]

Hello everybody,

on the palette of the RLM there were two shades of yellow: RLM 04 was a saturated yellow, often shown with a very slight touch of orange. It was used as code color for fuel and a number of other markings. RLM 27 was a brighter kind of lemon yellow. Its purpose is stated in the literature as marking color, but I have never found the slightest hint as to what was to be marked by it. To me the number in the RLM color list seemed to suggest that originally it was intended as the color for third Staffeln in the Gruppe, but as far as I know, 04 was nomally used for that purpose.
Now on a number of occasions I have seen photos of some Fw 190 A-4s of JG 54 with non-standard paints, whose cowling undersides appear to be orange and the other yellow markings in a rather saturated hue. Since color photos cannot be taken as precise samples, I think the components of red are grossly exaggerated on those photos, so the cowling undersides were 04 and the other yellow markings were 27.
Could it be that 04 and 27 were just interchangeable? But then, why two different yellows? Because of being composed of different chemical materials?
Since this question has been bothering me for a long time, I would be too glad to get an answer.

Regards,
klemchen

[Horst Weber]

Originally Posted by klemchen

Hello everybody,

on the palette of the RLM there were two shades of yellow: RLM 04 was a saturated yellow, often shown with a very slight touch of orange. It was used as code color for fuel and a number of other markings. RLM 27 was a brighter kind of lemon yellow. Its purpose is stated in the literature as marking color, but I have never found the slightest hint as to what was to be marked by it. To me the number in the RLM color list seemed to suggest that originally it was intended as the color for third Staffeln in the Gruppe, but as far as I know, 04 was nomally used for that purpose.
Now on a number of occasions I have seen photos of some Fw 190 A-4s of JG 54 with non-standard paints, whose cowling undersides appear to be orange and the other yellow markings in a rather saturated hue. Since color photos cannot be taken as precise samples, I think the components of red are grossly exaggerated on those photos, so the cowling undersides were 04
and the other yellow markings were 27.
Could it be that 04 and 27 were just interchangeable? But then, why two different yellows? Because of being composed of different chemical materials?
Since this question has been bothering me for a long time, I would be too glad to get an answer.

Regards,
klemchen

Good morning klemchen !

On my opinion, this was only a question of the availibility of the colour at the front squadrons' paint shops. In the factories and overhauling works, there was surely the exact colour, here RLM 04, applied to the corresponded places.

But when aircraft came from an overhauling to a 3rd Staffel, yellow markings had to be applied. Then, probably a discussion between the TO(or an other responsible person) and a paint shop man broke out:
TO: "Bis morgen früh ist die Unterseite der Motorhaube in gelb wie alle Maschinen der Staffel und die Maschine erhält die gelbe 7 zugeteilt. Das ist ebenfalls bis morgen früh, 8:00 Uhr erledigt, denn um 9:00 Uhr beginnt der Einsatz mit allen einsatzbereiten Maschinen. Und diese ist ja nun einsatzbereit "

paint shop: Leider habe ich nicht das Markierungs-Gelb 027 sondern RLM 04. 027 ist angefordert, aber hier in unseren Frontabschnitt noch nicht durchgekommen.

TO: Was ist da der Unterschied ?.

paint shop: Sehen Sie selbst !

TO: Interessiert mich nicht, Gelb ist Gelb und morgen will ich, daß die Maschine in den Markierungen der Staffel am Einsatz teilnimmt........."

This is also corresponding with experiences of the same kind at my time in German Army.

On my opinion, the availibility of the correct colour in the factories and works was given but at the fronts in Russia, Africa and Europe not this way and so, spares were used.

All the best !

Horst Weber

[klemchen]

Hallo Horst,

thank you very much for your answer. I had expected that at unit level things were happening as you described them, but that still does not say what the official purposes of 04 and 27 were. Your answer seems to contain a hint that the original meaning of 04 was marking devices for fuel and that of 27 marking certain units (?).
If we can trust the authors of articles and books on Luftwaffe colors, in practicl usage 04 widely replaced 27, Perhaps this was so because a bright yellow like 27, when seen from a larger distance, tends to appear rather whitish, while this effect is weaker with a darker yellow like 04.

With best wishes,
klemchen