RML 83

In his book Oberflchenschutzverfahren und Anstrichstoffe der deutsche Luftfahrtindustrie und

Luftwaffe 1935-1945, Michael Ullmann seems to claim that the number 83 was only mentioned in
the document Sammelmitteilung Nr. 2 (15 August 1944), where no color description is given for
any of the new colors 81, 82, 83. Moreover he adds on page 276 that he had no original document
to confirm that 83 was named Dunkelgrn.
However, in the 1983 revised edition of the Monogram Close-Up 7, page 13, T. Hitchcock states
that Colour 83 has been officially recorded only as 'green'.
Does anybody know the reference of this official document which was not Sammelmitteilung
Nr. 2 where the word green is associated to the color number 83? And if no such document
exist, how do we know that 83 was green?
RLM colour 83 is the acknowledged poor cousin of the late-war colours. Colours 81 and 82 have
generated the lions share of commentary over the years, yet for some reason RLM 83 has been
overlooked by many Luftwaffe researchers over the years. Indeed, it is only in the last few years
that important new publications have been (Ullmann, 1999, 2001) or shortly will be (Merrick, in
press, 2004) published on Luftwaffe camouflage and markings that have seriously addressed
issues regarding this colour. These books include most of the new knowledge on the subject and
are the first to present their findings since the early 1980s a gap of almost 20 years.
Regarding colour 83, this one shade has been the hardest to obtain firm data on, as opposed to the
other late-war colours 81 and 82. For colour 83, whose existence is acknowledged in
Sammelmitteilung Nr.1, there exists to date no official documents acknowledged to have been
discovered - or more accurately, published - which without a doubt identify RLM 83 with the
colour name Dunkelgrn. Indeed, it is quite probable that like other late-war colours, no name
was officially prescribed by the RLM and it was left to factories to assign descriptive terms. Yet,
there still remains a void regarding official information on this colour.
The RLM 83 designation and colour name relationship is currently considered interpretive. What
is known is that there was a colour identified as 83 and that it was a dark green shade. This
information is based on official paint samples, photographs, crash reports, comparative analysis
with surviving aircraft, wreckage fragments, etc. (Smith and Creek, 1994, p.247; Smith and
Gallaspy, 1977, pp.134, 136-137). Interestingly, Hitchcock (1983, p.13) was the only one to states
that "Colour 83 has been officially recorded only as 'green'." Unfortunately, the source document
is not indicated, though the presumption, given the publications subject, is that it was related to Bf
109 G production.
More recently (1999), Eagle Editions published a colour paint chip chart utilizing material
acquired from the late Ken Bokelman. In the preparation of his chart, they used as a reference a
colour paint card with a dark green paint sourced from Warnecke and Bhn archives that was
identified as 83. I believe that Ken Merrick, long a colleague of Bokelman, shared much of their
respective resources too and Ken invariably drew his current comments and insights from this new
information and obviously supercedes his beliefs since the publication of his original (Merrick,
1977) and later book (Merrick and Hitchcock, 1980). Michael Ullmann also provided significant
input into this research (Ullmann, 2000, 2002).
Work by researchers in Eastern Europe added important information, and hard data, regarding
late-war colours (Poruba and Janda, 1997; Poruba and Mol, 2000). These researchers based much
of their conclusions on four paint cards found at Prague-Rusin at the end of the war. Only two of
these were identified on the back of each card: 76 and Nr.82. These matched exactly with
other samples of these two colours. The other two cards were not identified, but again matched the
known and accepted shades of 81 and 83.

Therefore, from what is known to date, the identity of colour 83 is recognized and accepted as a
dark green colour. This is confirmed from various secondary sources, but most particularly
primary sources such as the colour paint cards from Warnecke and Bhn, and those recovered
from Prague-Rusin which in both cases simply identified the colour as 83. An interesting
questions still remain on when, and why, this colour was introduced.
From about late 1943, the use of this dark green became commonplace. Perhaps the phase-out of
Graugrn 74 began much earlier than is believed and a simple order was issued by the RLM to
the effect that from this point forward, replace colour 74 with colour 83 without any alterations to
the camouflage pattern. Why the grey was withdrawn is not clear, but for ground concealment a
truer shade of green would provide more effective camouflage qualities that a dark greenish grey.
Indeed, the green and dark grey combination would offer better contrast between the colours and
enhance the camouflage schemes disruptive qualities. Furthermore, there may also have been
some need to save on certain raw materials that were used in the RLM 74 paint formulation.
As is well known, 74 was officially described as dunkelgrau, grnlich (dark grey, greenish),
even though in colour photographs the blue component dominates and so it appears to have a
bluish cast. That a shade like 83 would replace it makes perfect sense. This tonal similarity might
explain why no Oberflchenschutzliste have been discovered for the Bf 109 and Fw 190 fighter
aircraft that actually describe (let alone identify) this colour. Indeed, the RLM perhaps thought
there was no need to bother and therefore none were produced.
Could the 75/83 colour scheme actually be a long-lived transition scheme to the later 81/82
combination? It is possible but unlikely, given that it was quite explicitly stated in
Sammelmitteilung Nr.1 that colours 81 and 82 were to replace colours on those aircraft types
currently wearing 70 and 71. Eventually though, these two colours were prescribed for fighter
aircraft. This may well have been a simple response to the fact that 81 and 82, once intended for
bombers, were now available in then-sufficient quantities since many of the aircraft types that
would have used 81/82 were no longer being produced.
Finally, it is quite significant that the 75/83 scheme first appears on the Bf 109 and Fw 190
fighters (and their variants). The ramped up demand for fighter production from late 1943
onward and resultant need to simplify and shorten production times must have had a profound
influence on the camouflage colours used on these aircraft. With the aircraft operating in a variety
of theatres and environmental conditions, a better camouflage could be had with the green/grey
combination that a greenish-grey/blue grey one.
Ullmann also states, that the nomenclatura of RLM colorcharts only consists of numbers. Upto
the colour RLM 80 there was a sample provided in the LDv 521/2 (1943). The later colors 81, 82
and 83 were by the directive of summer 1944 not sampled anymore. The adding of names has
happened later (most probabely after the war) to ease the use of the charts. Otherwise the
paradoxon of RLM 81 would not be possible:
Fa. Messerschmidt: RLM 81 = Braunviolett
Fa Dornier: RLM 81 = Grn
In the course of the research for this book the Application and Processing Instruction for RLM
camouflage (buildings and ground camouflage) of 1941 with appended colour chart were
discovered. The colour chart contained the following shades:
Schwartz - Black
Dunkelbraun - Dark Brown
Dunkelgrun - Dark Green
Olivgrun - Olive Green
Ziegelrot - Brick Red
Erdgelb - Yellow Ochre

Grau - Grey
The shades Dunkelbraun, Dunkelgrun and Olivgrun show particular affinity with the still existing
colour residues of RLM shades 81, 82 and 83. In earlier work on this subject the author expressed
the opinion that the similarity between the colours is so great as to lead to the belief that aircraft
were painted with camouflage colours designed for buildings and ground.
In the meantime, since then the opportunity of comparing the RLM camouflage colours for
buildings and ground with remaining paint residues has now been taken. These findings have now
been confirmed from Canada, Australia and Germany, and it can now be said that the:
RLM shades 81, 82 and 83 were the same as RLM camouflage patterns for buildings and the
ground
In the absence of documentation, it was postulated in an earlier work that aircraft were actually
painted with RLM building and ground camouflage colours. This has now proven to be not quite
true.
Correspondance dated 29th January 1945, between Herbig-Haarhaus and the Hertwig Company
concerning the finishing of flying surfaces of the He162 programme lists quantities lacquer,
including those listed below, ready for immediate despatch:
60kg aviation lacquer 7115.76
30kg aviation lacquer 7115.81
30kg aviation lacquer 7115.82
These aviation lacquers in shades 76, 81 and 82 are non-combustable top coats for aviation lacquer
groups 05, 22 and 33. This makes it clear that aircraft were not being painted with RLM building
and ground camouflage colours. However there can be no doubt that the colouring pigments for
both paints were identical (the paint would not otherwise have had the same colour."
References:
Eagle Editions, 1999. Luftwaffe Color Chart, Eagle Editions Hamilton, Montana.
Hitchcock, T.H., 1983: Monogram Close-Up 7 - Gustav: Messerschmitt 109G Part 2. Monogram
Aviation Publications, Boylston, Massachusetts, 32p.
Merrick, K.A., 2004. Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1933-1945 - Volume 1. Classic
Publications, 224p.
Merrick, K.A., 1977. German Aircraft Markings 1939-1945. Sky Books Press Ltd., New York,
176p.
Merrick, K.A., and Hitchcock, T.A., 1980. The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German
Aircraft 1935-1945 (including Appendices and Supplements); Monogram Aviation Publications,
Boylston, Massachusetts, 144p.
Poruba, T., and Mol, K., 2000. Messerschmitt Bf 109 K Camouflage & Marking. JaPo, Hradec
Krlov, 92p.
Poruba, T., and Janda, A., 1997. Messerschmitt Bf 109 K. JaPo, Hradec Krlov, 92p.
Smith, J.R., and Creek, E.J., 1994. Monogram Monarch Series Number 1-Arado 234 Blitz.
Monogram Aviation Publications, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 264p.

Smith, J.R., and Gallaspy, J.D., 1977. Luftwaffe Camouflage and Markings 1935-45, Volume 3.
Kookaburra Technical Publications Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, 164p. (Also published by Monogram
Aviation Publications under the title "Luftwaffe Colors").
Ullmann, M., 2002. Luftwaffe Colours 1935-1945. Hikoki Publications, Ottringham, 256p.
Ullmann, M., 2000. Oberflschenschutzverfahren und Anstrichstoffe der deutschen
Luftfahrtindustries und Luftwaffe 1935-1945. Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn, 291p.

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