Luftwaffe Colours, 1935-1945

Book excerpt: Much has been written about the Luftwaffe, but no aspect has been more controversial than the question of camouflage and markings of the aircraft. Here, author Michael Ullmann follows the development and use of many colors and establishes the links betwen the then-standard RAL colors and those adopted by the German Air Ministry. He reveals how and why these finishes were developed and applied to both military and Lufthansa aircraft. Supplemented by more than 300 photographs, drawings, detailed color aircraft profiles, and a highly accurate chart of real paint chips, Luftwaffe Colours 1935-1945 presents a remarkable insight into the art of World War II German camouflage markings.