The RLM system is probably the most widely known system of all paint systems in the 2nd world war, and a lot of modellers are known with it’s nomenclature. Still there is interesting information to be told about this system, and while other websites also do a very good job of accurately describing the colours with their matching modelling paints, they often lack the more rarer colours, and context.
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 had slightly different tones.
The accuracy of the paints can be off. They’re mostly taken from the manufacturer, from painting manuals and bits on the internet. They should resemble the actual colour closely, but use at your own discretion.
To go to the colour table, click here.
Beginnings
The RLM, abbreviation of Reichsluftfahrtministerium, was the German Ministry of Aviation. It was in charge of all matters concerning German aviation, such as aircraft development and standardization within the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force. Here I will focus on the German paint systems. The purpose of these systems was mostly cost reduction by standardization and minimizing dependence on raw material import by promoting use of pigments that could be obtained nationally.
In 1936, the RLM introduced it’s first standardized colour system, with RLM 61/62/63 on the upper surface and RLM 65 on the underside
The RLM regulations for color shade, production and application were applied via a serie of service regulations, Luftwaffen Dienstvorschriften L.Dv. 521. The earliest known surviving revision, L.Dv. 521/1, was issued in march 1938 and specified the aircraft colours as RLM 61, 62 and 63. During the war these regulation changed a lot, mostly due to material shortages. Due to this the same RLM colour may have changed over the course of time. The German RLM system is probably the most well known and documented painting system of all nation of the 2nd world war,

Colour Table
RLM | Colour | equivalents | Gunze | Tamiya | Vallejo | Hataka |
0 | Wasserhell | RAL-9000 | X-35 | 71.058 | ||
Clear gloss protection coating Primer |
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1 | Silver | FS-17178 RAL-9006 |
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Undercarriage The first aircraft of the luftwaffer were in this color |
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2 | RLM-Grau | FS-34159 RAL-7003 |
H-070 C-060 |
33%XF-2 33%XF-49 33%XF-22 |
71.044 | *023 |
Extensively used as cockpit colour before 1943. Interior colour; wheel wells, engine compartment, ect. Overall colour of prototype, trainer and liason aircraft Early camouflage upper side Sometimes used as a replacement for RLM 76 in the late war night fighter camouflage scheme |
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3 | Silbergrau | |||||
mostly used before the war | ||||||
4 | Gelb | FS-37200 RAL-9004 |
H-413 C-113 |
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ID markings, bands, underside of the wingtips and cowlings underside of captured aircraft |
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5 | Elfenbein | FS-13618 | 71.106 | |||
early gliders | ||||||
9 | Gelbgrün | |||||
11 | Edelbein | |||||
general use | ||||||
21 | Weiß | RAL-9001 | ||||
markings, fusulage bands, numbers. winter camo, by applying the paint dissolved in patrol on the plane, easily worn |
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22 | Schwarz | RAL-9004 | ||||
markings and fuselage codes Overall night camouflage untill 1942 |
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23 | Rot | RAL-3001 | H-414 C-114 |
71.102 | ||
Identification markings | ||||||
24 | Dunkelblau | RAL-5000 | 71.266 | |||
Identification markings Oxygen systems |
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25 | Hellgrün | RAL-6000 | 71.267 | |||
Identification markings | ||||||
26 | Braun | RAL-8004 | 71.105 | |||
electric systems General usage |
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27 | Gelb | RAL-1003 | ||||
Same as RLM 04, but used less | ||||||
28 | Weinrot | RAL-3008 | ||||
stepping zone area’s on the wings Identification markings |
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41 | Grau | |||||
Interior of some early planes, seldom used | ||||||
42 | Grau | |||||
general usage | ||||||
61 | Dunkelbraun | RAL-8019 | *168 | |||
Pre war camouflage schemes, spanish civil war | ||||||
62 | Grün | RAL-6002 | 71.114 | *169 | ||
Pre war camouflage schemes, spanish civil war | ||||||
63 | Hellgrau | RAL-7004 | 71.260 | *167 | ||
Pre war camouflage schemes, spanish civil war | ||||||
64 | Dunkelgrün | |||||
65 | Hellblau | H-067 C-115 N-067 S-115 |
XF-23 | 71.255 | *029 | |
general undersurface for all aircraft, after 1941 no longer for fighters | ||||||
66 | Schwarzgrau | H-416 C-116 |
71.055 | *040 | ||
Interior colour from 1941 onward, but only area’s visible from the outside, other area’s stayed RLM 02 Some use in identification markings |
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67 | Weiß | |||||
68 | Schwarzgrün | |||||
69 | Dunkelgrün | |||||
70 | Schartzgrün | H-065 C-018 |
90%XF-11 10%XF-1 |
*015 | ||
bomber camouflage, early fighters propellor blades |
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71 | Dunkelgrün | H-064 C-017 |
70%XF-11 25%XF-60 5%XF-10 |
71.015 | *017 | |
bomber camouflage | ||||||
72 | Grün | 71.263 | *311 | |||
post november 1941 splinter scheme for naval aircraft (reconnaissance, torpedo bombers, floatplanes) | ||||||
73 | Grün | 71.256 | *312 | |||
post november 1941 splinter scheme for naval aircraft (reconnaissance, torpedo bombers, floatplanes) | ||||||
74 | Graugrün | H-068 C-036 N-068 |
71.258 | *313 | ||
Top camouflage on fighter airfcraft from nov 1941 | ||||||
75 | Mittelgrau | H-069 C-037 |
70%XF-2 25%XF-24 5%XF-27 |
71.259 | *007 | |
Top camouflage on fighter airfcraft from nov 1941 | ||||||
76 | Weißblau | H-417 C-117 S-117 |
55%XF-19 30%XF-23 15%XF-2 |
71.257 | *038 | |
Bottom side on fighter aircraft from nov 1941 night fighter topside overall colour of some high altitude fighters Due to shortages towards the end of the war, wide variations in this colour started to appear towards the end of the war |
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77 | Hellgrau | *264 | ||||
Sometimes used instead of RLM 76 Identification markings on dark backgrounds |
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78 | Himmelblau | H-418 C-118 |
71.101 | *029 | ||
Bottom side of the mediterranean scheme | ||||||
79 | Sandgelb | H-066 C-119 N-066 |
71.278 | *014 (early) *172 (late) |
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basis colour in the Mediterraean scheme, some pictures also show FW 190’s with an overall darker version of this colour | ||||||
80 | Olivgrün | H-420 C-120 |
71.265 | *053 | ||
Blotches in the mediterranean scheme | ||||||
81 | Braunviolett | H-421 C-121 |
60%XF-61 30%XF-64 10%XF-1 |
71.264 | *008 | |
from 1944 top side | ||||||
82 | Lichtgrün Hellgrün |
H-422 C-122 |
80%XF-26 10%XF-61 10%XF-1 |
*020 | ||
from 1944 top side | ||||||
83 | Dunkelgrün | H-423 C-123 |
*022 | |||
Late-war top side | ||||||
84 | Gelbgrau Graublau |
71.103 | ||||
RLM designation is speculatory, they could be RLM 76 due to shortages | ||||||
91 | ||||||
Lufthansa? | ||||||
99 | Grün | |||||
Primer, fasteners |
Tropical colours
Luftwaffe units started to be deployed in North Africa somewhere between late January and March 1941. At the time, no suitable camouflage colours for the sandy, Saharan desert were available. The first mention of the tropical scheme comes from an inspection document to a depot in Erling, Germany, which describes the three lacquers.
Curiously, only colour chips for RLM 78 and 79 were added to the L.DV. 521/1 of 1941. Somewhere after November 1941, RLM 78 was changed to a slightly lighter shade, while RLM 79 was changed to a darker, browner shade.
RLM 80 wasn’t always used, especially on later fighters such as Bf 109’s and FW 190’s
Ever after the retreat from africa, the colour scheme was still used to some extend in Italy untill 1944 and the eastern front after units were send there.
RLM | Colour | equivalents | Gunze | Tamiya | Vallejo | Hataka |
78 | Himmelblau | |||||
Underside of the tropical scheme (1941) | ||||||
78 | Himmelblau | |||||
Underside of the tropical scheme (1942-1944) | ||||||
79 | Sandgelb | |||||
basis upper surface colour in the Mediterranean scheme (1942 onward) | ||||||
79 | Sandgelb | |||||
basis upper surface colour in the Mediterranean scheme (1942-1944 onward) | ||||||
80 | Olivgrün | |||||
optional upper surface details (lines, blotches) of the Mediterranean scheme (1941-1944) |
BF-109 “black 6” with an early RLM 78/79/80 tropical scheme over northern africa BF-109 “black 8” with an early RLM 78/79/80 tropical scheme over northern africa Messerschmitt BF 109 G-2 trop “black 6” trop with a late RLM 78/79 tropical camouflage Messerschmitt Bf 110 Junkers Ju 52