German Pilot Colours

[prem895]

What are the official colours of the Luft flight suits for FW190a-5 pilots flying colour scheme 74,75 and 76. I am finding varying results. I know Air Marshall Wurger has the definitive answer. I want to paint my 1/32 guy for my Hase fw5a-5. I will open a new post in the Start to Finish area,so you can see if I soar or crash and burn. Advise and tips are welcome.

 

[Crimea_River]

Depend on the timeframe and theater. 74/75/76 could be anywhere from 1941 onwards. Your choice would be from the the middle two below if ETO. Late war pilots (mid/late 44 and onwards) would have had the all leather suits.

 

[meatloaf109]

O.k., here we are going to have a disagreement.
L.W. pilots would wear what ever was comfortable to them, (and what was available), especially right at the end of the war. Sure there were standards, but when it came right down to it, anything goes.
What are my sources? Many pictures, and many books read over the years. However, I do agree with the basic premise of the pictures as a starting point.

 

[prem895]

Wurger or Airframe will work it out. My guy is Hermann Graf,France 1943

 

[Crimea_River]

OK, I'll bow out then.

 

[meatloaf109]

Yep, me too.

 

[stona]

I've quite a few photos of Graf in flying gear and in only one is he wearing a leather jacket. It was taken in summer '43 and is titled (by Graf) "ruhe vor dem nachsten einsatz". It includes similarly dressed comrades Griswalski and Fullgrabe.

Graf seems to have preferred the material jacket and "channel pants".

It is also true, as some have said, that fighter pilots often flew in a mixture of uniform parts which they presumably found comfortable.

Graf was most comfortable wearing his sporting kit, in goal for the Red Fighters

Cheers

Steve

 

[prem895]

Wurger, I need confirmation on colours

 

[Wurger]

Here you are an example with the leather jacket ...

 

[Crimea_River]

Just gotta say though prem that you might want to acknowledge others' attempts to help you out. Steve is a very knowledgeable and respected member of the forum, as is Paul. If you're only going to take Wojtek's advice, why not just e-mail him your questions and spare us the time?

 

[stona]

The flight gear Graf wears in the photos, all B+W, varied in colour considerably and nobody can tell you exactly what colour his kit was.

With his brothers, Hermann in the middle.

Here are some examples of the gear he wore, two sets of trousers illustrating the different colours. They could be an even lighter grey than either of these. I notice in the photos I posted he is not wearing this style but uniform trousers. The choice is yours.

Officer's breeches

Cheers

Steve

 

[Wurger]

Also you may find some info on colours here...

Welcome To Replicaters.com

 

[prem895]

By the time I button up this bird,you will hardly see the man in the pit. I am just trying to get right into this build and take 40th place in the beginner category. Black boots, revell #56 blue for the pants and ? for the jacket and headgear. Will Revell 32184 leather brown work for the jacket and head

 

[Wurger]

I think yes the Revell 32184 can be used. With some of the drybrushing made with a little bit lighter ( the Rev colour with some of white ) brown and a little bit darker with very small drop of black it can look good.

 

[prem895]

Andy, I just want to say I am open to all advice. I am kind of new here and Wurger , stona you and Airframes give me great advice As does everyone else. I did not mean to disrespect anyone's advice or fluff it off. I think I am getting too involved in this build. I do not want to have the same thing happen to this as was the case with the F6F faa debacle. The more input the better. BTW I am aiming for 25th place in the novice class and last in the expert class

 

[stona]

Headgear varied quite a bit too. For a mid war fighter pilot I'd go for one of the versions that comprised a black net/mesh over the head with leather head phones (just about any colour leather can be!).
He would have worn a throat microphone and an oxygen mask, probably a mid war version, black or dark green/grey and without the third attachment point of the late war versions.
Something like this combo.

Cheers
Steve

 

[prem895]

Makes sense to me

 

[stona]

I use enamel paints and usually do Luftwaffe uniform with a base of Humbrol 96 (which I think is RAF uniform blue) lightened with a grey selected at random from the paint box. I tend to make trousers and blouses slightly different shades on the same figure. A darker wash run into the creases and a little dry brushing to lighten worn or raised areas is about all I bother with after the base coat.
By the time the pilot is sat in his cockpit and harnessed up very little is visible anyway, but it's good to know that even the unseen parts are in the right ball park
Cheers
Steve

 

[prem895]

I know,all you will see is his little head,but I know he is done up right

 

[Erich]

the mesh cap is for summer use I have an original winter set up and yes that little guy is incredibly war, mes styes came in a coule of culours obviosuly for MTo a tan/pink would be appropriate and as Steve has shown the one posted was sued from 43 till wars end over Europe. goggles were removed for fighter pilots and a pair of effective tinted splinter shades were worn.

the two-piece lederkombination was worn by both day/night crews some keepting the blue/black grey fur collars on or having them removed. pilot and friend Oskar Bösch of 14.Sturm/JG 3 would wear his summer lederjacke while in his Sturm Fw 190A-8 even in the winter of 44/45 while his kameraden choose to wear the ehaveir winter installment. Oskar felt he had much more room and maneuverability while in the cockpit. Remember the two piece was electrically heated many pilots felt the burden of this and did not connect up ........brrrrrrrr on Jan/February flights