Dutch Colours, Camouflages and Markings

Prior to the 2nd world war the Dutch had three air forces. The LVA (Luchtvaartafdeeling, Army Air Force) which fought in The Netherlands themselves. The ML-KNIL (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger, Dutch Indies Army Air Force) which fought in the Dutch Indies, and the MLD (Maritieme Luchtvaartdienst, navy air force), which was active in both the Netherlands and the Dutch Idies. Each had their own camouflage schemes.

Paints and Paint Schemes

Unlike other countries, these branches had no real centralized paint system such as the German RLM or the American ANA. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t any unity between different aircraft types and military branches. It does however make it impractical to create a table with all the paints used. Therefore each individual scheme has it’s own little table with the paints used.

Disclaimer: As with all pages of this type, the colours shown are an approximation. Monitors can change the colour displayed and don’t account for shading and glossiness. In reality these colours would also fade over time, and different batches could deviate quite a bit from the ‘official’ colour.

LVA

The LVA (Luchtvaartafdeeling der Koninklijke Landmacht, Aviation Department of the Royal Armed Forces), was the Army Air Force and precursor of the Dutch Air force. They were tasked with defending the Netherlands and fought the German invasion in may 1940.

LVA, Khaki-Blue

Before early 1938, aircraft of the LVA were painted in a camouflage consisting of a khaki topside and blue bottom side. Some MLD land based aircraft also used this scheme.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka
LVA Khaki	LVA Khaki	FS-14064* RAL 6014				HTK-A193
	Upper surface camouflage of early aircraft select training and reconnaissance aircraft
LVA Blauw	LVA blue	FS-15189* RAL 5018				HTK-A332
	Lower surface camouflage or early aircraft Overall colour of training aircraft
Hemelsblauw	sky blue	FS-35250		45% XF-2 40% XF-8 7.5% XF-7 7.5% XF-19		HTK-A332
	Koolhoven used alternative to LVA Blue Body of the FK-58 prototype, with silver wings.

Used
Koolhoven FK-31	Koolhoven FK-46	Koolhoven Fk-49
Koolhoven Fk-51	Koolhoven Fk-56	Koolhoven Fk-58 (prototype)
Fokker D.XVII	Fokker D.XVI	Focke Wulf Fw-58
Fokker G.1 (prototype)	Fokker T.IX (prototype, khaki overall)	Bücker Bu-131

LVA Bruin-Beige-Groen

This Brown-Beige-Green camouflage is probably the most iconic Dutch camouflage. The switch to this new camouflage occurred with the introduction of the Fokker T.V in early 1938. Planes constructed before that date weren’t repainted.

It is not known why the underside of the planes were painted brown. Theories exist, such as it is because the LVA believed the colour to be less visible when caught in searchlights. However it’s quite the odd choice to paint all aircraft in a night camouflage, when none where optimized for night operations.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka
Camouflage Bruin	Dark Brown	FS-10059	H-047 C-041	XF-64	70.985	HTK-A087
	Upper and Lower surface camouflage
Camouflage Beige	Sandy Brown	FS-16360	H-336 C-336		70.979	HTK-A074
	Upper surface camouflage
Camouflage Groen	Dark Green	FS-14077	H-330 C-330	XF-11 XF-74		HTK-A246
	Upper surface camouflage
Anodiseergrijs	gray	FS-16320	H-307 C-307			HTK-A201
	Cockpit and fuselage interiors

Used	Planned	Possible
Fokker D.XXI	Dornier Do-215 (order of 24 machines)	Schelde S.21 (prototype under construction, but not (yet) ordered)
Fokker D.XXIII	Koolhoven Fk.58 (36 machines ordered)	Fokker G.2 (prototype under construction, but not ordered)
Fokker G.I		Fokker T.IX (interest shown in prototype, but not ordered)
Fokker T.V
Douglas DB-8A-3N

ML-KNIL

The Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlandsch-Indisch Leger (ML-KNIL), the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (RNEIAAF) was the air arm of the Dutch colonial army. Initially, planes flown by the ML-KNIL had no defined camouflage pattern, with each type of machine either using it’s delivery scheme or no camouflage at all.

1940 – Jong blad / oud blad

While the ML-KNIL initially didn’t use camouflage colours, a supply of a green paint and dope was kept from at least 1938 (often known as “jong blad” = young leaf, or camouflage green). This was to be used as a bomber colour if tensions were to rise. When the war broke out in Europe in late 1939, the ML-KNIL purchased extra Jong blad to be able to camouflage all operational aircraft. It would take until early may 1940 before the paint was actually applied however.

Due to rising tensions, a series of tests were conducted on 9 Martin 139’s between may and July 1940 to develop a camouflage scheme. Starting with overall “Jong blad” in may, but later also with oud blad and light grey. The scheme was officially adopted in august same year. For the new Curtiss H-75A-7 Hawk fighters it was decided that the grey underside was unnecessary, as their camouflage was only deemed for reduced visibility on the ground. Their underside was left in their aluminium delivery scheme. This was also extended to other planes later on such as the Brewster B-339 and Curtiss CW-21, who had their undersides painted aluminium, and the Lockheed L-212 who’s underside was left bare metal. The bottom leading edges of the wings and the engine nacelles were often camouflaged as well. The aircraft’s serial number was painted on the leading edges as well.

The names of these colours aren’t official, and can change between sources. The exact shade is also still debated.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	Mr. Paint	AK
Jong Blad camouflagegroen	“young leaf” Dark green	FS-34079 Medium Green No. 42	H-309 C-309	XF-58	71.294	HTK-*016	MRP-101	RC027 AK11346
	upper side camouflage together with Oud Blad overall upper side camouflage of some Martin 139’s (applied may 1940-august 1940), potentially with light grey underside.
Oud Blad	“old leaf” camouflage green	FS-34102 Olive Drab No. 41	H-303 C-303		71.289	HTK-*021	MRP-102	RC083 AK11342
	faded heavily over time towards a lighter colour. upper side camouflage together with Jong Blad overall upper side camouflage of Lockheed (2)12 Electra
Mat Aluminium	Matt Aluminium			XF-16				MRP-104
	Underside colour of most aircraft. Aerial camouflage was deemed unnecessary for fighters, and camouflaging would only be used to reduce ground visibility, thus, making unnecessary to apply light gray to the overall metal delivery scheme. Some Martin 139 bombers had only the underside of the wings and stabilizers bare aluminium, with the fuselage and engine nacelles underside also painted with the upper camouflage scheme.
Lichtgrijs	Light grey	FS-36622	H-311 C-311		70.883	HTK-*039	MRP-104	RC254
	Underside colour of most martin 139 bombers.

aircraft	notes
Brewster B-339D Buffalo	Jong/oud blad upper sides with aluminium bottom
Lockheed (2)12	Delivered in aluminium, later camouflaged with Jong Blad only
Curtiss CW-21B	upper rear section of the canopy was painted transparent orange
Curtiss CW-22
Fokker T.IX	What If, Prototype was initially developed for the ML-KNIL.
Martin 139	Delivered in a yellow-blue scheme. Starting may 1940 this was replaced with overall Jong Blad on some planes and some Jong Blad with light grey undersides. From august new planes were painted with the two tone camouflage, with the previous machines also repainted again.
Curtiss 75-A7 Hawk II

Martin B-10 model 139 delivery scheme

The Martin model 139 bombers were delivered to the ML-KNIL in a flashy yellow-blue colour scheme, the same they were painted in in the US. From 1940 onward, this was replaced with the jong blad / oud blad camouflage pattern to reduce visibility.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	Humbrol	Mr. Paint	AK	MiG
#23	light blue	FS-35109		XF-8		HTK-*156	109	MRP-238	RC234
	Overall fuselage and engine nacelle colour
#4	yellow	FS-33538	H-329 C-329	XF-3	71.078	HTK-*066	069
	Overall wing, stabilizizer and tail colour

MLD

Water planes used by the MLD (Maritime Luchtvaartdienst, the Dutch navy Air Force) often sported a gray camouflage opposed to the regular LVA or ML-KNIL scheme.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka
Hollandgrijs (Donker) Ikarol 103/2	Holland Gray (dark)	FS-14159	C-060 H-070	XF-2	71.314 70.886
	Ikarol A and Ikarol B upper side Do-24 interior
Aluminium dope Ikarol 111/s	Aluminium	FS-27178
	Ikarol A lower side camouflage Side external floats (Fokker C.XIV-w, T.VIII-w)
Hollandgrijs (Licht) Marinegrijs	Holland Gray (light)	FS-26440	FS-26440		70.986
	Ikarol B lower side camouflage
Zwart	Black			XF-1
	Bottom side external floats (Fokker C.XIV-w, T.IV, T.VIII-w)

Ikarol A	Ikarol B
Dornier Do-24K-1 (first 18 machines; X-1 to X-18)	Dornier Do-24K-1 (machines X-19 and onward) and K-2
	Fokker T.VIII-w/G-2 (machines R-6 to R-24)
	Fokker C.XIV-w

Dornier Do-24 Du Pont Scheme

During 1940, the Dornier Do-24’s still in service were repainted with DuPont colours in a scheme similar to the ordered PBY-5 Catalina’s. This scheme is probably the most well known of the different Dornier liveries. The top was painted with DuPont 71-1945 and the bottom 71-021.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka	Humbrol	Mr. Paint	AK	MiG
Donkergrijs	Dark gray	FS-15042 Du Pont 71-19459	C-365	XF-17	70.898 71.091	HTK-*001		MRP-237		227
	Upper side camouflage
Melkwit	Milk white	Du Pont 71-021 Fs-24583	H-74	85% XF-2 15% XF-20	71.103	HTK-*092 HTK-*039	90	MRP-225	RC241
	Lower side camouflage

Fokker T.IV schemes

The fokker T.IV used it’s own camouflage pattern, with differences between the two batches. The 1st 12 machines with Lorraine-Dietrich 12E engines were initially delivered in a light gray overall camouflage. The 2nd batch of 12 T.VIa machines with Wright 1820 Cyclone engines was initially delivered in an overall aluminium dope colour.

At some point, the machines were repainted with a new top coat, Hollandgrijs for the T.IV and Olijfgroen for the T.IVa

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka
Marinegrijs	Marine Gray	FS-16440			70.986
	T.IV (machines T-1 to T12): Overall colour delivery scheme Underside and side colour of the revisited scheme
Hollandgrijs (donker)	Dark gray	FS-14159
	T.IV (machines T-1 to T12): topside colour of the revisited scheme
Aluminium	Aluminium				70.864
	T.IVa (machines T-13 toT-24): Overall colour delivery scheme T.IVa Underside colour of the revisited scheme
Olijfgroen	Olive green	FS-14151	H-58
	T.IVa (machines T-13 to T-24): Topside and side colour of the revisited scheme
Zwart	Black				70.950
	Bottom side floats

Fokker T.VIII-w delivery scheme

The Fokker T.VIII-w machines were delivered in two orders. The prototype and the first series of 4 machines, ordered 23-9-1938 were called the Fokker T.VIII-w/G-1. These five machines, registration R-1 to R-5 were delivered between 25-04-1939 and 13-09-1939 and were painted in a two tone gray colour. The 2nd series, the T.VIII-w/G-2 consisting of machines R-6 to R-11 were delivered in the Ikarol B scheme.

	Colour	equivalents	Gunze	Tamiya	Vallejo	Hataka
Grijze deklak	grey deck laquer
	Upper side of floats
Noordzeegrijs	north sea gray	FS-36231
	overall fuselage upper side of the wings
Zwart	Black			XF-1
	Bottom side floats
Aluminium dope	Aluminium	FS-27178
	Side of the floats Underside camouflage of the wings Overall Aircraft (R-1 prototype before delivery)

Roundels

	Orange circle
	1914-1921
	The LVA, the Dutch army air force, was officially founded in 1913. In 1914 the orange circle roundel was adopted, orange being the Dutch national colour after the royal family, the house of Orange. Application of the roundel differed per plane, but was usually in the six standard positions.

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	Tricolour roundel
	1921-1939, 1945-now
	In 1921 the Dutch switched the current roundel. (although not in use from slightly before WW2 to after the war.) The fin flash was not always used, leaving the tail bare

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	Experimental roundel
	1938
	An alternate proposal for the roundel change was tested in 1938. While it was painted on a Fokker D.XXI as a test, no photographs are known.

	Transition roundel
	1939 (?)
	A solid orange triangle, overlayed on the circular roundel. Only encountered on a Fokker D.XXI with number 227. Why this roundel this roundel was painted this way is unknown. Maybe a temporary paint shortage to overpaint the old roundel and black border or a misinterpretation of instructions.

	Neutrality triangle
	1939-1942
	When tensions rose before the 2nd world war, the Netherlands changed their roundel to the orange triangle to avoid confusion between Dutch, French and British planes. Throughout the war in the Dutch indies the roundel got less and less pronounced over time. The tail flash was removed, the roundel made smaller and was removed from the upper wings. Until it was completely phased out in favour of the Dutch flag roundel.

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	Indies Flag roundel
	1942-1949
	In the Indies, the neutrality triangle would be changed again in 1942 to prevent possible confusion with the Japanese solid red Hinomaru roundel. It was used until Indonesian independence in 1949.

Sources:

• Gerdessen, F., Kalkman, K., Oosterveen, C., & Vredeling, W. (2011). Fokker G-1 ‘Le Faucheur’. Jachtkruiser. Deel 1. Emmen: Lanasta.
• https://kw.jonkerweb.net/index.php/nl/vliegtuigen-lijst
• https://www.ipms.nl/928-aa-kleurtabe
• https://www.marsethistoria.nl/recent-onderzoek/888-de-camouflage-van-de-vliegtuigen-van-de-militaire-luchtvaart-knil-in-de-periode-1940-1942