I'm starting this thread to put up information regarding German vehicle/Armour colours.
This has come about due to a Russian paint company coming to my attention and when looking thought there somewhat expansive paint list a few things caught my attention and so as a restorer of vehicles as well as a builder of models I thought that a thread purely for discussing German military paint colours for WWII and various companies products would be an interesting thing.
At this moment, slowly winging their way from Greece and Czechoslovakia is a selection of paints from the Russian paint manufacturer Arkan. I nearly bought directly from their online shop but they want payment in the form of either cash (rubles) or direct bank transfer. No credit cards, no paypal or anything like that. for the amount I would have been spending the bank transaction fees would probably be much more than the actual amount so forget that.
Instead I was recommended to go to a model firm in Greece who has the full range: Acrylic, Acrylic Enamel and Enamel etc. I Have got some of the paints I need, but a few that I actually wanted was out of stock, but I found a model shop in Czechoslovakia who has the full range and was able to get the ones I wanted from them.
Most of the paints I will be testing and looking at in this particular batch from Akan are Enamel and one colour.
It is the most discussed colour of the German Military from WWII - RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb or Dark Yellow.
The Germans switched to the three colour camouflage in 1943 after a study of captured Russian tanks and the camouflage colours they had on.... yes... not all Russian Vehicles were all over 4BO and the Germans learned much from fighting the Russians and their armour camouflage systems. Rhis led. ion 1943, just before the battle of Kursk to the change from Dark Grey to the three colour system. All the colours were not quite readily available and the dark yellow was applied in disruptive lines over the top of the dark grey as was both the green (RAL 6003) and the Red Brown (8017) making some unique camouflage schemes during the Kursk Offensive. These colours were delivered as paste to front line units for them to apply using either water or petrol.
From 18th Feburary 1943 new vehicles were delivered from factories with an overall RAL 7028 leaving units to put on the Green and Red brown colours usually done either in the refitting areas or by the crews themselves. No vehicle was alike. in colour scheme and many were painted reflecting local conditions.
RAL 7028 is a most disputed colour among modellers as to the shade. Vehicle restorers go from the colours they get of the tank when they start restoration and this authentic Chipset Gem:

Before I continue... to to make sure that you know that the colours are genuine go to this website
http://www.codecrete.net/CMYKAnd put in the CMYK numbers in the CMYK % slots. You will then see that the colours and the numbers match. The above chipset is my base start along with the paint on the original vehicle.
going from Left to Right:-
Dunkelgelb Nach Muster or Dark Yellow according to sample is the first colour seen on vehicles and was used at Kursk etc. up until the very beginning of 1944. the army gave it RAL 7028 before it was officially in the RAL register. the translated text reads
Army ordnance RAL 7028 Edition 1943Chipset 2 is the official registered RAL 7028 and came in at the beginning of 1944.
Chipset 3 is the last change and came in to use about late October early November 1944 and went on to the end of the war.
However, there would be changes to these colours depending on the medium used to apply AND the paint base itself. Remember that the factories etc were being bombed day and night by USAAF and RAF bombers and supply routes being disrupted all the time by intruder raids, railways and bridges being blown up etc. In the end Afrika Corps paint stocks were being used on vehicles and there are colour photographs of tanks on both Eastern and Western Fronts sporting this and indeed the Working Tiger II at Samur sports a very pale, almost white in some lights base colour with a lighter green disruptive camouflage on the top.... or is it the other way around?!!
Take a look at this picture taken of the Tiger II at Samur outside trundling up and down. The "Dunkelgelb" does look suspiciously like one of the Afrika Corps base coat colours ( this another set of colours we will be looking at in a later post).

Here's the interesting point....
When mixed with water the colour doesn't change. Out in the field and in rear areas water is a precious commodity and you us it for drinking and hygiene NOT for mixing down paints.
When mixed with petrol which was the normal medium used for this (no diesel engines in the Panzers) the paint lightens. the more petrol, the lighter it gets!
So as modellers if we are around the right colour shade wise then it is OK because every batch of the colours was different and also every panzer differed in colour and shade due to the factors above especially towards the end of the war. Let's not forget the base colour RAL 7028 and how it officially altered. It got darker as you can plainly see above!
This is why I have ordered a bottle of every RAL 7028 Arkan have in their catalogue. They may be only 10ml bottles for the Enamel and looking on the website they sure have quite a few shades listed as RAL 7028 and I am really curious!
Call me mad... but it's a learning experience!
I do have some MIG AMMO panzer colours in and when the spoons come then the airbrush is busy and sacrifices will be made!
Partwork Building is like meeting enemy action - no plan survives first contact!!
Certified model building idiot! Please treat with kindness!