German Schlacht Airplanes Colors
At least one Fw 58 B was used for AI radar operators training, fitted with one FuG 218 V/R and its Matrazte antenna mounted in the glazed nose.
The Fw 58 standard paint scheme was RLM70/71 ‘splinter’ upper surfaces over sprayed with Wintertarnung, a temporary washable winter camouflage of ‘Whitewash’ paint, RLM 65 under surfaces, RLM 22 codes and RLM 04 Gelb (Yellow FS 23538) East Front identification markings.
The winter camouflage was usually applied over the upper surface only, with codes and yellow theatre bands repainted.
Some Fw 58 Cs from the Luftdienst-Kommando 65 had the upper surfaces still painted in RLM 02 Grau (Grey FS 3615) from the flying school with RLM 22 undersurfaces.
By 1945 about 300 Ju 87 D-3 and D-5 dive bombers were transformed into D-7 and D-8 night intruders/night fighters (without dive-brakes) and used by the 1./NSGr.1, 1./NSGr.9, 1./NSGr.10, 3./NSGr.1 Nachtschlachtgruppen by the NJG 100 night fighter unit and by the experimental squadron Sonderstaffel Gamringer. Its night equipment comprised FuG 101 radio-altimeter, FuG 25 IFF, Peil G.IV direction/finder device, night flame dampers, ultra-violet illumination for the instruments panel, Revi C/12 B Nachtrevi gunsight, two wing mounted 20-mm MG 151 cannons with flash muzzles and one dorsal rear-firing 7.92-mm MG 81Z machine gun.
The Ju 87 D-7 and D-8 paint scheme was: mottled pattern in RLM 76 Lichtblau (Light Blue FS 36473) over the traditional ‘splinter’ RLM 70 Schwarzgrün (Black-Green FS 34050)/RLM71 Dunkelgrün (Dark Green FS 34079) upper surfaces and RLM 22 Schwarz (Satin Black FS 37038) undersurfaces.
In the East Front the night fighters were vectored by nine rail-mounted Eisenbahn-Nachtjagd radar stations.
During the autumn of 1942 several Heinkel He 45C light bombers were recruited from the reconnaissance schools Aufklärungsfliegerschulen 1, 2 and 3 and used by the Störkampgruppe Lft.1 (1./NSGr.1, 1./NSGr.3, 2./NSGr.1 and 2./NSGr.3) in nocturnal harassing raids flying at altitudes between 750 and 3,000 ft.
Some airplanes from FFS A/B 24 elementary school were used by the NSGr.4.
Their painting scheme was RLM 70/71/65.
In 1943, thirty Focke-Wulf Fw 189 A-4 reconnaissance airplanes were converted into night harassment light bombers, fitted with special night equipment and two ETC 50/VIIId underwings bomb racks.
Between 1943 and 1944, these planes were used by the 2./NSGr.4 (code 1k), NSGr.5 (code M9) and NSGr.10 (code 5B) groups against Soviet partisans, supply dumps, base camps and Po-2s airfields.
The paint scheme was RLM70/71 ‘splinter’ over sprayed with mottles of RLM 77 upper surfaces, RLM 65 under surfaces, RLM 22 codes with Green individual letter outlined in RLM 77 and RLM 04 Gelb (Yellow FS 23538) East Front identification markings.
Between December 1943 and September 1944, twenty-four Heinkel He 50A dive bombers were gathered from the Stuka Schulen (dive bombing schools) St.G 101, St.G 102, St.G 103 and StG.151.
These airplanes were used by the night harassment group Nachtschlachtgruppe NSGr.11 (code 3W).
Their paint scheme was RLM70/71 ‘splinter’ upper surfaces over sprayed with Wintertarnung, a temporary washable winter camouflage of ‘Whitewash’ paint, RLM 22 under surfaces, RLM 22 codes and RLM 04 Gelb (Yellow FS 23538) East Front identification markings.
Between October 1943 and the autumn of 1944 about twelve Henschel Hs 123A-1 dive bombers were used as night intruders and close-support aircraft by the Schlachtgeschwader II./SG2.
Their paint scheme was RLM 70/71 with ‘Whitewash’ paint upper surfaces and RLM 65 under surfaces.
In the spring of 1943, the Störkampffliegerschule SG 111 (special night harassment and night visual navigation school) was established at Stubendorf with several Heinkel He 46 D-1 reconnaissance airplanes.
Between the autumn of 1943 and June 1944 a number were pressed into night ground attack service operating with the NSGr.1 (code V8), NSGr.4 (code 1K), 3./NSGr.7 (code 4X) and 2./NSGr.5 (code M9) Schlacht units
These airplanes were fitted with extended anti-glare exhausts, FuG 17 R/T VHF and a minimum of night instrumentation.
Their paint scheme was RLM 71 with ‘Whitewash’ over painted upper surfaces and RLM 22 under surfaces. Some airplanes from NSGr.4 had yellow theater markings.
Between March of 1943 and January 1944, several Henschel Hs 126 B-1 reconnaissance planes were pressed into night ground attack service operating in anti-partisan sorties with the NSGr.5-Charkov (code M9), 2./NSGr.7-Belarus (code 4X), 3./NSGr.11-Estonia (code 3W), 2./NSGr.12-Latvia (code 6A) Schlacht units.
Their paint scheme was RLM 70/71 with ‘Whitewash’ paint upper surfaces and RLM 65 under surfaces.
In April 1945 some aircraft from NSGr.12 based in Graz-Austria had the engine cowling painted in RLM 21 Weiss (White FS 37886).
During 1944, several Ju W 34s were also used in night harassment missions by the 1./NSGr.1, 2./NSGr.1, 1./NSGr.3 and 2./NSGr.1 Schlacht units.
These W 34s were camouflaged with the RLM 70/71/65 standard Luftwaffe scheme with the East Front identification yellow markings.
Between June 1942 and mid-1944, the SNCAC-Siebel plant of Bourges built 450 light transport airplanes Siebel Si 204 D.
Many of these aircraft were used by the Luftwaffe for crew training in the FFS/C Advanced Flying Schools, in the BFS Blind Flying Schools and in the Bordfunkerschule (Radio Operators School) at Halle/Saale.
These airplanes were camouflaged in RLM 70/71 upper surfaces, RLM 22 under surfaces and codes.
When the Si 204 D production was stopped in August 1944, the Flugzeugwerke-Halle developed the counterinsurgency version Si 204 E.
Between mid-1943 and November 1944 these airplanes were used by the 2./NSGr.7 Einsatzkommando Liedtke against the Soviet partisans of Belarus.
The paint scheme was RLM 70/71/65 with yellow identification markings and red individual letter outlined in White.
Between February 1943 and the spring of 1945 some 2,000 Arado Ar 66C primary biplanes were modified with bomb racks and flame dampers for the night harassment role, operating on dark nights at treetop level dropping booby-traps and anti-personnel bombs.
The type was used by the 1./NSGr.1 (code V8), 2./NSGr.2 (code D3), 3./NSGr.2 (code D3), 4./NSGr.2 (code D3), Stab./NSGr.3 (code U9), 1./NSGr.4 (code 1K), 2./NSGr.4 (code 1K), 1./NSGr.5 (code M9), 3./NSGr.8 (code 6J), 1./NSGr.12 (code 6A) and 2./NSGr.12 (code 6A) Schlacht units.
Early in 1943 aircraft coming from FFS A/B flight schools were painted overall in RLM 02 Perle Weiss (Satin Pearl-Grey FS 36165) and upon reaching the Schlacht units they were hastily repainted in RLM 22 (some overall and others only in the under surfaces) with East Front Yellow identification markings.
In the spring of 1945, some airplanes from 4./NSGr.2 were camouflaged with RLM 70/71 upper surfaces and RLM 22 under surfaces, Yellow markings and Black codes.
In February of 1944, some airplanes from 2./NSGr.12 were painted overall in RLM 22, with upper surfaces sprayed with Whitewash, Yellow markings and Black codes outlined in RLM 77.
The Stab./NSGr.3 airplanes were camouflaged in RLM 71 overall with low visibility national markings sprayed in RLM 66 Schwarzgrau (Black-Grey FS 36081) and Black codes outlined in RLM 77.
In the spring of 1945, some airplanes from 4./NSGr.2 were camouflaged with RLM 70/71 upper surfaces (sprayed with Arabesken in RLM 77), RLM 22 under surfaces and Black codes.
Early in 1943 some aircraft from 1./Störkampfgruppe Lft.1, were painted overall in RLM 71 with upper surfaces over sprayed with Whitewash and black codes.
Between October 1943 and February 1944, a number of Gotha Go 145A and Gotha Go 145B primary training biplanes were recruited from FFS A/B elementary flying schools and Waffenschulen gunnery schools and used by the 1./NSGr.1, 2./NSGr.3, 1./NSGr.4, Stab./NSGr.5, 1./NSGr.6, 2./NSGr.6, Stab./NSGr.11 and Erg.NSGr.Ost Schlacht units in nocturnal harassing raids, flying at low altitudes.
In the autumn of 1943 some aircraft from 2./NSGr.3 were painted overall in RLM 22 with upper surfaces over sprayed in ‘Whitewash’, low visibility national markings and Black codes outlined in RLM 77.
During the winter 1943-44 the aircraft coming from FFS A/B flight schools were painted overall in RLM 02 Perle Weiss (Satin Pearl-Grey FS 36165) and upon reaching the 5./SG 111(Stuka) and 1./NSGr.4 combat units they were over sprayed with Arabesken in RLM 77. East Front Yellow identification markings, Black codes with White individual letter.
