German trucks in Normandy - flat dunkelgelb or camo?

[Cypher226]

Hi,

Trying to get my BA Germans finished (among other things!) but I'm stuck on the truck.  I'm guessing it should be dunkelgelb by '44 - I can find loads of good references for the tanks but not so much for the humble wheeled transport?

Cheers!

[Gunner Dunbar]

Yes, dark yellow, will brown and/or green camo

[Cypher226]

Many thanks - sometimes it's just nice to have someone confirm what you were thinking 

[moiterei_1984]

You can equally well get away with Panzergrau even in 1944.

[Jemima Fawr]

While there might still be the odd one in grey (they do occasionally appear in photos of captured vehicle parks among serried ranks of camouflaged vehicles), the VAST majority were painted dark yellow, with red-brown and olive-green camo applied with varying degrees of success.  The Germans even camouflaged their horse-drawn carts...

[Etranger]

While there might still be the odd one in grey (they do occasionally appear in photos of captured vehicle parks among serried ranks of camouflaged vehicles), the VAST majority were painted dark yellow, with red-brown and olive-green camo applied with varying degrees of success.  The Germans even camouflaged their horse-drawn carts...

From 1945, but illustrates Jem's point.

[carlos marighela]

Mostly blackened by mid to late July. I suspect you could paint them a uniform rust colour by late August. 

[FreakyFenton]

From 1945, but illustrates Jem's point.

Wonderful reference picture there, Etranger! Thank you for posting.

[Ragnar]

Wonderful reference picture there, Etranger! Thank you for posting.

Yes it is, although the friggin photobucket watermark is a pain.

[vodkafan]

Yes it is, although the friggin photobucket watermark is a pain.

Oh I thought they were the tactical markings for the Photobucket Panzergrenadier Division...

[Etranger]

Yes it is, although the friggin photobucket watermark is a pain.

Sorry, it didn't show up when I first posted it. It was originally on the WW2incolor website IIRC. It looks to be a still from film taken by the US 3rd Army when it moved into Bavaria at the end of the war and shows a collection and processing point for POW's returning to their homes, hence 'Koln'.

[Jemima Fawr]

Sorry, it didn't show up when I first posted it. It was originally on the WW2incolor website IIRC. It looks to be a still from film taken by the US 3rd Army when it moved into Bavaria at the end of the war and shows a collection and processing point for POW's returning to their homes, hence 'Koln'.

All I ever get in work thanks to the net-nanny is the 'little red cross of doom', but I look forward to having a look at whatever it is you've posted when I get home!

[dadlamassu]

It is impossible to say with certainty what colour German vehicles were painted.  A lot depends on which unit you are representing and the role of the vehicle.

Generally by 1944 new vehicles were supplied dunkelgelb with olivgrun and rotbraun paint for camouflage.  There was no set pattern or proportions so depending on how (if) the paint was thinned, how it was applied (thrown, broom, paintbrush, spraygun etc) the density of colour and proportions used would vary considerably.  This book is very useful https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Day-Berlin-Camouflage-Markings-1944-45/dp/185409212X


Older vehicles of the occupation army or those in anti-partisan, fortress, supply etc roles would only be repainted if at a major overhaul or when going into action.

Dunkelgelb with olivgrun stripes and patches was very common in combat units - some also used the rotbraun instead of or as well as olivgrun.
The older grey vehicles may be seen plain grey (particularly Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe airfield vehicles, equipment, trailers guns) many were also given irregular stripes or patches of dunkelgelb, olivgrun or rotbraun or a combination.

That said, my father was in Normandy from D-Day onwards and said that regardless of nationality all vehicles were of a similar dust colour within a few days of arrival.

So I suppose that you are modelling a frontline vehicle so I'd go for dunkelgelb and olivgrun

[Etranger]

All I ever get in work thanks to the net-nanny is the 'little red cross of doom', but I look forward to having a look at whatever it is you've posted when I get home!

I suspect you've seen it on similar threads before!

Alan - although that book is still very useful, some of the information is out of date or wrong, so I always try to find photographic evidence of patterns etc, colour of course being impossible to really judge from B & W photos. I agree about the dust though!

Illustrating your point:

The background buildings are probably in Normandy (one source suggests Villers-Bocage).
Probably a thoroughly applied green  pattern over dunkelgelb! The truck is apparently a Borgward B3000, which I'm not particularly familiar with.

[dadlamassu]

I agree that some of the book is inaccurate but that criticism can be levied at almost every historical book as many authors "interpret" the evidence to suit their hypothesis.  I said it was useful in that it contains many photographs.  It is also quite cheap on the second hand market. 

What I did not say was the extensive use of foliage (your picture reminded me) by the Germans.

Captioned as Paris 1944 - the Sdkfz 6 looks as if it is still grey