LUFTWAFFE INTERIOR COLORS
Thanks to Doug Nelson for writing this up and Lee Kolosna for having the sense to save it!
"With the variety of Luftwaffe
interior colors used, it is difficult to keep track of what goes where.
This article will be spilt into two parts, the first dealing with cockpits,
and the second
focusing on wheel wells, engine compartments, etc. While this is not meant
to be the definitive guide on the subject, I'm sure that you'll find to be
a reasonably accurate and useful guide.
PART 1-- COCKPITS
Reichsluftministrium regulations state that prior to November 1941,
cockpits/crew areas were to be RLM Green-Gray 02, with the exception of
instrument panels which were Gray with black instrument faces. After
November 1941, all cockpit/crew areas visible through the glazing (windows)
were to be RLM Black-Gray 66. Instrument panels remained as previously
stated. Fuel lines were yellow, oil lines were brown, coolant lines were
green, oxygen lines were blue and fire extinguisher lines were red.
However, as with any military regulation, variations of implementation and
interpretation were often seen. The following is a general guide of
specific aircraft by type.
FIGHTERS
Bachem
Ba349 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Dornier
Do335 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Focke Wulf
Fw190A *IFlG series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black Gray 66 * (with exception
of prototype)
Fw190D series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black Gray 66
Ta152 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Ta154 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Gotha/Horton
Go/Ho 229 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Heinkel
He51 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
He100 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
He112 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
He162 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
He219 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Junkers
Ju88C-2/C-3 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Ju88C-4 thru C-7/R/G series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Messerschmitt
Bf109B thru E-3 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Bf109E-4 thru K series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66 (Several
researchers will take this to task as the F model was coming off the
production line in late 1940, even before the required switch to RLM 66
took effect in 1941 so reader beware. Most of us will paint the interior of
an E series in RLM 02, Ed)
Me163 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Me262 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Bf110B thru E series: Cockpit areas RLM Green-Gray 02
Bf110F thru G series: Cockpit areas RLM Black-Gray 66
Me210/410 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
BOMBERS
Arado
Ar234 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Dornier
Do17E/F/M/P/Z series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Do217C thru E-3 series: Cockpit areas are RI,M Green-Gray 02
Do217E-4 thru P-0 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Focke Wulf
Fw200C-0 thru C-3 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Fw200C-4 thru C-8 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Heinkel
He70 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Helll Al Bl Cl Dl El Fl Gl Jl Pl H-1 thru H-5 series: Cockpit areas are RLM
Green-Gray 02
Helll H 6 thru H 23/R/Z(zwilling) series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray
66
He177 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Henschel
Hs123 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Hs129A-0: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Hs129B/R series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
Junkers
Ju86 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Ju87A/B/C/R series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Ju87D*/G series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66 *D-1 first 84 aircraft
are RLM Green-Gray 02
Ju88A/B series: Cockpit areas are RLM Green-Gray 02
Ju88D*/H/P/S/T series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66 *approximately
660 D series aircraft produced with RLM Green Gray 02
Ju188/288/388 series: Cockpit areas are RLM Black-Gray 66
PART 2 -- WHEEL WELLS, ENGINE COMPARTMENTS, ETC...
Regulations for these interior areas were standardized, and not a lot of
variation existed, except for late war fighter aircraft. This variance in
the latter stage of the war was caused by a number of factors. One was due
to the allied strategic bombing campaign, which caused production of
aircraft to be decentralized, leading to differences depending on the
subcontractor of the specific components. Another was the urgent need for
fighters, and the haste with which they were produced, which caused some
relaxation of compliance with official regulations in order to speed up
production. Another consideration was the remanufacturing of aircraft, in
which case whole assemblies were repainted at the same time. Where
variations are documented, they will appear listing the type of aircraft
they were seen on. As always, this is a general guide, and your best
verification will be your own reference material.
Engine Compartments
The interior of engine compartments were painted in RLM 02, with the
exception of the firewall. This was painted RLM 02 on the cockpit side, but
left unpainted on the engine side in most
cases. All engine support braces, connecting rods and internal framework
was also RLM 02. Pipelines for fuel, oil and coolant remained unpainted
outside of the cockpit areas. Engines
remained in the color applied by the manufacturer, usually black.
Exceptions
Photos of some Bf-109F/G/K's exist which show the interior of the cowling
in natural metal, while most are RLM 02. Photos of some Fw-190D-9's and
Ta-152's show the interior of the
cowling in natural metal, while most are RLM 02. Photos of some Me-262 and
He-162 nacelles indicate that the interior was left in natural metal.
Fuselage
Prior to Fall 1942, aircraft fuselage areas, with the exception of the
cockpit were finished in RI.M 02. After Fall 1942, they were left
unpainted. The Alcad used for aircraft skinning material,
had electroplated finish to prevent corrosion, which gave it a golden
sheen, similar to that on the interior of soup cans. Aluminum and other
alloy areas were still given a coat of RLM 02 to
prevent corrosion. However, galvanized steel was left unpainted. Equipment
such as radios, fuel tanks, oxygen bottles, etc. were in the color applied
by the manufacturer. Radios were usually
black or gray, fuel tanks were usually black or gray. Oxygen bottles were
usually overall blue, or painted with blue stripping.
Exceptions
Repaired areas were usually painted with whatever paint stocks were
available, or left unpainted.
Wing
As with the fuselage, prior to Fall 1942, wing areas were finished in RLM
02. After Fall 1942, with the exception of the wheel wells and flap areas,
they were left unpainted. . Gun bay areas
generally retained their RLM 02 paint. They exhibited the golden color of
the Alcad skinning material. Aluminum and other alloy areas were still
given a coat of RLM 02 to prevent
corrosion. However, galvanized steel was left unpainted. Equipment such as
guns, fuel tanks, oxygen bottles, etc. were in the color applied by the
manufacturer. Guns were usually black or gray, fuel tanks were usually
black or gray. Oxygen bottles were usually overall blue, or painted with
blue stripping.
Exceptions
Repaired areas were usually painted with whatever paint stocks were
available, or left unpainted. Gun bays on late war aircraft were sometimes
seen in natural metal.
Flap Areas
For aircraft without separate flaps, the flap `well' and interior of the
flap was painted with RLM 02. This is also true of the radiator flap and
cowl flap areas.
Exceptions
Bf-109B/C/D/E's usually had the underwing radiator area painted the same
color as the fuselage underside. Some late war Fw-190's exhibited natural
metal flap areas.
Wheel wells
Now for the area you've been waiting for. Few regulations specific to the
wheel well area exist, company and factories instructions usually deciding
the matter. In keeping with standard practices as identified above, wheel
wells and components should have been RLM 02. This includes tail wheel and
nose wheel areas. Main gear and nose wheel struts were painted RLM 02, with
the exception of the polished steel oleo area. Shock absorbers were a very
dark gray, again with the exception of the polished steel telescopic
sections. Cast and stamped wheel hubs were painted in semi-gloss black.
Tail wheel hubs were usually unpainted (dark gray), or painted the
underside color. (Adding to this is that generally, you could find wheel
hubs in all sorts of colors, but black seems to be the most prominent, Ed)
Exceptions
Some aircraft that used 100 octane fuel had the starboard gear strut (and
sometimes the cover as well) painted red to distinguish them from other
aircraft. (This was also sometimes done with both struts or just the
wheels, Ed)
Photos Bf-109B/C/D/E/F's occasionally show wheel wells painted the same
color as the underside.
Photos of Bf-109G/K's indicate the wheel wells and struts were usually RLM
76 (fuselage underside color).
Photos of some Bf-109's show main gear struts painted RLM 66.
Photos of some Bf-109's show main gear struts painted underside color.
Photos of some Fw-190A-4 and later show wheel wells painted underside
color.
Photos of some late war Fw-190's show natural metal wheel wells.
Me-262's had main gear bay/cockpit tub underside left in natural metal.
However, nosewheel bay and strut were painted RLM 02. Some Me-262's had the
main wheel well and/or nosewheel bay painted RLM 76.
Propellers
Although not an interior area, propellers are also included. Steel prop
blades were painted RLM 70 black green, while wood blades were painted RLM
71 dark green, with a semigloss clearcoat protectorant. Other late war
wooden prop blades were painted in blue-gray, with the same semigloss
clearcoat protectorant. (Your editor would like to point out that he has
never seen any current reference that says anything about painting props
with RLM 71 and feels this is one of those pieces of incorrect info that
gets continually passed down. Everything I've seen of a current research
nature indicates that if a prop is painted at all, then RLM 70 is used
regardless of the material of the prop.)