WWII Luftwaffe Cockpit wire/pipe colours

[AlanG]

I've been trying to do some research on various kits i have yet to build and can't seem to get the answer i want on this one. Looking at pipework/wiring in a Bf110 G4 i can see that people seem to be painting them different colours. Some use blue for oxygen and yet others paint black or fawn. Wiring is either white, yellow or RLM 66.

Any ideas on what colours they should actually be?

[Guest]

With a lack of colour pics from the period, your only hope is the extensive research material that Steve (Stona) has. Always a bit risky looking at modern restorations as they tend to use what applies today or maybe not even know what they should be themselves. Wonder if the new Haynes Manuals say what they should be?

As with any modelling, there are areas where 'artistic licence' is accepted and, failing a definitive answer, I would go with what looks right. Not a great answer but maybe someone does have the actual facts you need.

[Guest]

Try this:

Luftwaffe Painting Orders

A very useful guide, I think.

[stona]

Wiring a yellow/buff colour. Restorations are always re-wired.Pipe work,depends where it is. Oxygen lines were indeed usually blue but others seem to vary somewhat and appear to be copper/brass/aluminium colour. It can be almost impossible to tell from B+W photos and,as Graham said,artistic licence is often used. A lot seems to have been oversprayed in the interior colour (02 or 66) particularly on aircraft that have been upgraded or undergone major repairs.

I'll be home later today and think I might have a couple of good piccies I will check for you.

Cheers

Steve

Edit. I just checked the link to the cockpit painting guide and would agree in principal with the "pipework" colours but not this.

"Reichsluftministrium (RLM) 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."

The RLM order was indeed issued at that time but it was really catching up with established practice and not dictating it. For example many Junkers and Heinkel bombers produced in 1940 prior to the BoB definitely had RLM66 ineriors,either entirely or in visible areas. The colour may well have been applied by Heinkel before the war! Some Bf109s (we are talking Es here) also had some or all the cockpit interior painted in RLM66 at the time of the BoB. I would use the quote above as a guide,particularly if you don't have a good reference for your model. I don't think it is safe or sensible to make such unequivocal statements about any aspect of Luftwaffe colours. There are many RLM directives which were either wishful thinking,particularly late war,and were never implemented by the manufacturers and there are many which were covering what the manufacturers were already doing. Messerschmitt in particular was often months ahead of formal RLM directives.

Cheers

Steve

[AlanG]

Cheers guys

[Guest]

Oh bugger! I've just (like this morning!) done my 1/32 Revell Ju-88 interior in RLM02 - I don't really want to do it all again!!:neutral:

[Guest]

Same here snapper,got a He-111 in the wrong colour now. It will have to wait now.

[stona]

They are not definitely wrong (or right)! What I'm trying to say is that both those manufacturers produced aircraft from early production batches which in the case of the Ju88 had an entirely RLM66 interior and in the case of the He111 had a mixed interior. The He111 pre-empted the later directive so visible areas were in RLM66 and others in RLM02. There were plenty of aircraft produced with "regulation" RLM02 interiors. The variations are probably related to various production blocks or facilities but I don't know a whole lot about Luftwaffe bomber production and am not able to make a constructive comment on that subject.

Without a good reference for an aircraft you are building (or at least one from the same production block,hopefully with a near by Werk Nummer) the guideline given in that link above is fair enough. I just think it is an error to try and draw hard lines in the sand or make unequivocal statements such as before this date X was painted Y and afterwards it was painted Z. The evidence simply does not support that.

I always say that we're just building models and shouldn't get too hung up on the minutiae of colour reproduction. I bet you were both happy with your models before my post and there's no reason why you shouldn't be now! Unless someone turns up with a photo showing your aircraft to have an RLM66 interior,which is pretty unlikely,then YOU are right.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Lucky for me i can still repaint the cockpit.

[AlanG]

Thanks for the advice guys. Painted the panel up and i think it looks sort of what it's supposed to lol

[ATTACH]30085.vB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]35293.IPB[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

Looks good to me Al