Vintage 'What If?' SIG newsletter article....

PR19_Kit · February 20, 2009, 10:24:50 AM

While sorting out a veritable MOUNTAIN of old magazines and stuff I came across some 'What If? 'SIG newsletters from the '90s.

One of them, Issue 1 of 1993 contains an erudite article on Luftwaffe camouflage colours. Naturally it's peppered with numbers as you can always tell Luftwaffe modellers at a meeting as all they talk is numbers '... I'm sure the later scheme was 42 undersides with a 63/12 top colour and 85 mottling......' etc etc.

According to this article the Luftwaffe were much more subtle than had previously been thought, using such colours as RLM 22.25 Lechtschwartz, RLM 22.50 Mittelschwartz and RLM 22.75 Dunkelschwartz. These were apparently used as mottle finish schemes over each other on night fighters!

Even better, a company in Yorkshire, entitled 'Echt Deutsch', was announcing a complete range of these colours for modellers later in the year. Other colours in their range covered RLM 81.25 Nichtsodunkelgrun and RLM 81.75 Wirklichdunkelgrun and the rarely seen RLM 21c Barleyweiss....................

The address of 'Echt Deutsch' is given as somewhere in Bradford. Why does this ring bells for me? I can't imagine who'd have started such a company......

It also goes a long way to explain why my wife is looking askance at me as I've been in hoots of hysterical laughter for the last 20 mins!

puddingwrestler · February 20, 2009, 12:24:49 PM

What? No 81.10 Almostdunklegrun?

jcf · February 20, 2009, 01:05:22 PM

Quote from: puddingwrestler on February 20, 2009, 12:24:49 PM
What? No 81.10 Almostdunklegrun?

Why can't people get the simple stuff correct with RLM colours?
Everyone knows 81.10 is Justpastdunklegrun, 81.09 is Almostdunkelgrun.

Jon... who goes numb with boredom whenever folk at Hyperscale start debating 'correct' Luftwaffe colours

Jeffry Fontaine · February 20, 2009, 02:59:48 PM

I am really surprised that there is no PHD (Piled High and Deep) program for RLM Colours being offered by any educational institutions, considering the amount of research that some of those characters have done...

Taiidantomcat · February 20, 2009, 03:15:03 PM

Quote from: Jeffry Fontaine on February 20, 2009, 02:59:48 PM
I am really surprised that there is no PHD (Piled High and Deep) program for RLM Colours being offered by any educational institutions, considering the amount of research that some of those characters have done...

No kidding! Interesting share too PR

I would love for some definitive evidence to come out that proved that everything we thought about RLM colors was wrong...oh the money and time wasted

Maybe they could debate things that are less rigid than RLM colors though, like which religion is the only true religion LOL

B777LR · February 20, 2009, 03:36:21 PM

From when i spent a week working on airplanes, doing everything from removing screws, to removing seats and windows from Cessna's (both big/fast and small/slow), the actual RLM colours are in my opinion very doubtful.

The interior green i got to paint a Citation with, was merely a bit of yellow mixed up with a bit of blue. They did not even measure the amounts

Why should the Luftwaffe bother with exact RLMs during wartime, when a commercial company today doesnt?

puddingwrestler · February 20, 2009, 08:05:00 PM

Re the proposed course on RLM colours - why not? I remember reading an article (on cracked I think) about ridiculous university courses - one of them which really exists was 'Super Smah Bros. Theory and Practice'

(that's a video game for the sage and silver haired older members!)

PR19_Kit · February 20, 2009, 10:31:29 PM

Quote from: B787 on February 20, 2009, 03:36:21 PM
Why should the Luftwaffe bother with exact RLMs during wartime, when a commercial company today doesnt?

Because the RLM decreed it would be so, and if not you would be taken outside and SHOT!

nev · February 20, 2009, 10:52:21 PM

That article sounds like classic Radish

jcf · February 20, 2009, 11:20:12 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on February 20, 2009, 10:31:29 PM
Quote from: B787 on February 20, 2009, 03:36:21 PM
Why should the Luftwaffe bother with exact RLMs during wartime, when a commercial company today doesnt?

Because the RLM decreed it would be so, and if not you would be taken outside and SHOT!

Beware der Farben Polizei

NARSES2 · February 21, 2009, 02:45:00 AM

Quote from: nev on February 20, 2009, 10:52:21 PM
That article sounds like classic Radish

My thoughts exactly - didn't he paint his downstairs Loo in RLM colours once ?

Kit some of those old articles might be useful for the new version, I may see if I can borrow some from you

Chris

PR19_Kit · February 21, 2009, 05:14:51 AM

Chris,

I'm still digging through the magazine mountain, and I'm sure I haven't found all of the SIG Newsletters yet. I'll send you a list when I've tracked them all down.

I once painted my lounge in Japanese bomber camo, with the orange upper and dark green lower, then did the dining room in the 3 colour US Navy scheme, Non-Specular Sea Blue, Medium Blue and White. It worked remarkably well too, but the blending was a bit of a pain to manage properly.

Radish · February 21, 2009, 09:54:24 AM

I think it was Ian Hartup who was responsible.
He had tinned "samples" of Mittleswartz and Dunkleswartz on the display (Donnington) and someone tried to order them from Hannants

I too have lots of older newsletters....Swiss carrier aircraft, etc..

PR19_Kit · February 21, 2009, 12:14:51 PM

Quote from: Radish on February 21, 2009, 09:54:24 AM
I think it was Ian Hartup who was responsible.

No? Really?

Who'd have thought a fine upstanding chap like Ian would come up with an idea as bizarre as that.............

lancer · February 22, 2009, 06:41:06 AM

Quote from: puddingwrestler on February 20, 2009, 12:24:49 PM
What? No 81.10 Almostdunklegrun?

NO NO NO NO!! 81.10 is Jusataboutdunkelgrun - Almostdunkelgrun is actually 81.055

Vintage 'What If?' SIG newsletter article....

B777LR