Panzer Colors

In late 1939, OKH decided to use only the dark (panzer) gray (RAL 7021) and by mid 1940, it was the only color used, as it was factory applied. In the winter of 1941/42, all German vehicles on the Eastern Front were provided and applied with washable white winter camouflage paint that was used to cover all the visible areas. Since the beginning, interiors of all enclosed armored vehicles were painted in light cream or ivory color.

In March of 1941, vehicles in and destined for North Africa were painted in yellow brown/sand yellow (RAL 8000) as a base color with grey green (RAL 7008) for camouflage patterns. Yellow brown was to be used to cover 75% of the vehicle and grey green the rest. In the field, vehicles were often camouflaged with mud and captured British paints.

In December of 1942, Tigers in Tunisa were painted overall dark gray with a thin coat of dark olive green (RAL 6003) sprayed over them. In February of 1943, by the order of OKH, dark grey was replaced by dark yellow (RAL 7028) as the base color for all German vehicles. For camouflage patterns dark olive green (RAL 6003) and red brown (RAL 8017) were to be used.

On August 19th of 1944, OKH ordered that dark yellow (RAL 7028) was to be factory applied as the base color with dark olive green (RAL 6003) and red brown (RAL 8017) for use in camouflage patterns. In addition, to those three main colors, small yellow, light gray or white spots were applied on green and brown areas, while small green spots were applied on dark yellow areas. This overall camouflage scheme was known as the "ambush" scheme and was very common for both Panther and Tiger II tanks following the Allied Invasion in Normandy and was often used until wars end.

On November 31st of 1944, OKH ordered another new colour scheme to be introduced. Dark olive green, often referred to as "reflective green" (RAL 6003) was used as the base colour with dark yellow (RAL 7028) and red brown (dark chocolate brown) (RAL 8017) irregular patterns. Sometimes red brown (RAL 8017) was replaced with dark red (RAL 8012). Similar case was with dark green (RAL 6002) and dark olive green (RAL 6003). Also due to overall shortages, many vehicles were only painted in overall base dark yellow (RAL 7028). In early 1945, dark yellow (RAL 7028) was again to be used as the base color with red brown (dark chocolate brown) (RAL 8017) and dark olive green (RAL 6003) irregular patterns. All schemes introduced from October 31st to the last days of war, were hard edged factory applied colour schemes with disruptive edges defined sometimes in white (RAL 9002).

Lastly, in regards to the National Insignia (German Cross) and Numbers. Though common early in the war, with the introduction of the tri-color paint scheme (1943), the use of symbols, numbers and other forms of identification, especially on wheeled vehicles and half-tracks began to decline. This appears to have been done due to the lack of paint or to deny the enemy vital military intelligence or in some cases, both. By the spring of 1944, especially following D-Day, when Allied airpower dominated the skies over Europe, the use of any forms of unit, national or numerical identification became even more rare.

How standardized were all these changes ? On the planning table they may have looked well. However, these varied greatly "on the line", as paint color differed from batch to batch and the application in the field varied even more greatly. Many tanks retained only their factory dark yellow (RAL 7028) color with camouflage consisting of mud, soot, netting and foliage. A "pristine paint scheme" in the field? Hardly, as these (regardless of type) were far from the norm on the battleline.