Luftwaffe Colours 1935-1945
By Michael Ullman
Hikoki Publications, 2002
ISBN 1-902109-34-1
256 pages, hardbound
Available from Specialty Press for $49.95
Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl
No field is more fraught with conflict than that of colors of Luftwaffe aircraft during the Second World War. It is likely that the number of books published on this subject outnumber those of every other participant combined. With this variety of titles already out there, is there really room for yet another? A quick look through this book makes the answer a definite yes. The book is broken down into clear sections, with parts on pre-war colors, tropical colors, maritime aircraft, winter camouflage and night camouflage, as well as some others. Each of these sections include a detailed analysis of what colors were used and when, as well as application methods. Many photos also illustrate each section, many of which I have not seen before. In addition to this, there is a small collection of official camouflage patterns for several aircraft, although not all are included.
The rest of the book is a very technical report on the actual LDV 521 documents. These documents are the original German outlines for how to paint aircraft, including everything from what paint to use on what materials to the specified demarcation spray width. This section has an incredible amount of information in it and you will likely end up reading it several times just to get everything straight. Once it's all straight in your head, the final addition is a color chart prepared according to original paint mixes. The included chart has some incorrect colors, for which Hikoki has noted and included with the book is a card to send away for a corrected set of chips.
If you are interested in the Luftwaffe and their colors, this is a book you will want to pick up. The complete coverage from the beginnings through to the end is nice to have in one volume, and the color chart gives a great view of the colors used. Order from Specialty Press and only pay $4.95 shipping and handling per order.
