Luftwaffe Camouflage Color RLM 79 Version 1 (1941)

[George]

Hi Gents,

 

I was looking a suitable hobby paint color for RLM 79 Version 1 (1941) and I observed different colors for this camouflage color in hobby paint between AK Interactive, Hataka, LifeColor and Mr. Paint.  RLM 79 Version 1 (1941) is typically shown as an orange or sand yellow color. AK Interactive book Real Colors for WW2 aircraft depicts the color as orange.

 

What do you gents think about this color?  BTW, I'm not concerned with RLM 79 version 2 (1942) Sand Brown color. Thanks. George

[cbk57]

I was curious and looked this up, I suspect that no living person knows for a certainty what the exact color match is.  As such pick the paint chemistry you like, for example of late I will pick an MRP paint if I can and if there were a debate over exact shade, I would pick my preferred paint brand over a perfect match.  You could always get a color wheel and adjust your color.  

[Juggernut]

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the exact shade and just use what you feel comes close.  As Scott mentioned, you can lighten or darken a paint to alter the shade to suit as well.  I doubt anybody is going to say it’s wrong. 
 

im half tempted to paint a model in a shade of pink and enter it in a contest and see what transpires.

[CRAZY IVAN5]

2 hours ago, Juggernut said:

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the exact shade and just use what you feel comes close.  As Scott mentioned, you can lighten or darken a paint to alter the shade to suit as well.  I doubt anybody is going to say it’s wrong. 
 

im half tempted to paint a model in a shade of pink and enter it in a contest and see what transpires.

Come on! dooo it , doo it nowwwl ! Actually ,according to IPMS judging rules , colors aren't to be judged[ supposedly]. Make sure it's some neon shade like fuchsia.

[Greif8]

George, I have color plates from a paint manufactuer in Germany that makes RLM colors for warbirds.  The Lifecolor RLM 79 shade/hue looks closest to the color plate; but as both cbk57 and Juggernut pointed out there are a huge number of variables that impact how a color looked, and looks, in real life - especially on operational military aircraft and vehicles whose paintwork takes far more of a beating then our cars.  You can almost certainly choose any of the paint brands you mentioned to airbrush your RLM 79.

 

Ernest

[LSP_Mike]

IRL, painters always box their paint to eliminate exactly those issues. Factory paint may have been treated like that, but the larger concern is how much effort was put in after a certain point? I use multiple enamel brands. I pick the best to my eye. The best paint won't help in a dogfight.

[George]

Thanks all.   BTW, the source document that sparked this inquiry is AK Interactive's Real Colors WW2 Aircraft. The book is divided into four sections covering the interior and exterior colors of aircraft of German Luftwaffe and Navy, British RAF and Fleet Air Arm, USN, USMC and USAAF, and Soviet Air Force.  Nick Millman is one of several authors.  I am not familiar with authors regarding German aircraft.  

[LSP_Mike]

There are a few....

[George]

I like AK Interactive's Acrylic Lacquer version of RLM 79 (1941): RC 282 or RC 947.  Regards, George

[thierry laurent]

On 12/21/2025 at 4:13 PM, George said:

Thanks all.   BTW, the source document that sparked this inquiry is AK Interactive's Real Colors WW2 Aircraft. The book is divided into four sections covering the interior and exterior colors of aircraft of German Luftwaffe and Navy, British RAF and Fleet Air Arm, USN, USMC and USAAF, and Soviet Air Force.  Nick Millman is one of several authors.  I am not familiar with authors regarding German aircraft.  

They were helped by people from the Kirchoff factory that was the main provider of such paints and still had the original formulas. So what you have in the AK book is the look of a brand new paint out of the jar. However as others explained there were many factors that influenced the actual look. So I would not bother that much and keep in mind that because of the optical scale effect all paints except the light ones look noticeably too dark on a scale model!

[Chippyminton]

I know I'm late to the party - but I used 4 parts LifeColor RLM79 to 1 part white on my Bf109E-7/Trop. The 'neat' shade just looked way too dark - more like a mid-brown to my eyes. As an aside, I similarly toned down their RLM78 and RLM80. I'm guessing that original paint shades would have rapidly become bleached out by the scorching North African sun.

[Duncan Doenitz]

It's one of those topics where there is never really a definitive answer. I bought the SMS lacquer RLM79 however it is very pale so I shall add some dark earth. Assuming that the colour is intended to match the colour of the ground, the deserts in North Africa / Arabia come in all hues. The desert can be very red in places to the point that it looks like the middle of Australia. Other areas can be the golden yellow that you see in travel documentaries.

 

The sun will fade colours due to the UV light. Flying above 6,000 feet in daylight above Europe can be a very harsh environment.

[Chippyminton]

11 hours ago, Duncan Doenitz said:

Ihe desert can be very red in places to the point that it looks like the middle of Australia. Other areas can be the golden yellow that you see in travel documentaries.

 

What about travel documentaries about the middle of Australia? 😀😀

[Duncan Doenitz]

I mentioned Oz as most would be familiar with that colour. Parts of North Africa and the Arabian peninsula are a very similar shade, other areas are more of an off-white. The point I was trying to make is that the land is a wide range of hues and if the intent is for an aircraft to blend in, it is quite a challenge.

[George]

Hello Fellow Modelers:

 

It's been a grand time with RLM 79 (1941).  I purchased AK's four paints.  The color that seems the most reasonable and not crazy is RC 947.  It matches to the Rogue Heroes Series on MGM.  In the first season, the SAS make a night attack against JG-27 in Libya.  The weblink I am providing contains color images of the Bf-109E & F prop versions used in the series.    Please see this link:  https://iconic-ww2aircraft.co.uk/me109-on-sas-rogue-heroes

 

FWIIW, AK 11882, AK 282 and RCM 27 are yellow or orange yellow in color.  Perhaps these were factory finishes but not for RLM 79 (1941).  There is a great disparity in the hobby paints AK Interactive created for RLM 79 (1941).  I am sure this would frustrate modelers of WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft.  

 

George