Luftwaffe colors in WWII

All the information here is taken from emmasplanes, where a lot more info can be found

1936-1938 Early three colour splinter scheme

The introduction of standardized colours in 1936 also saw the introduction of the first camouflage pattern, intended for land based bombers. It was comprised of RLM 61,62 and 63 in a three tone splinter scheme over a RLM 65 underside. The scheme was first used on the new Junkers Ju 86 bombers, and the Dornier Do 17 bombers soon afterwards. The scheme was used officially until mid 1936 for dive bombers, and September 1938 for other aircraft, although application on reconnaissance aircraft remain unclear. The camouflage is most famously used on Dornier Do 17 and Henschel Hs 123 aircraft during the Spanish civil war, but was used well into the Polish and French campaigns.

1937-1944 Early two tone green splinter scheme

In February 1937 a new camouflage was introduced with the introduction of the Messerschmitt Bf 109B. It consisted of two green tints in a splinter pattern with a blue underside, the same as the earlier style. While the border may appear as a hard edge, they blended into each other with a 5 cm overlay. The pattern became standard on all new fighters, heavy fighters, bombers, low to medium altitude reconnaissance and ground attack aircraft.

1938-1944 Maritime scheme

In november 1938 a new scheme was introduced for naval aircraft, with the issuing of the L. Dv. 521/1. It was very simular to the RLM 70/71 pattern, with the underside also RLM 65 for day operations and RLM 22 black for night fighters. This scheme was found on naval reconnaissance aircraft such as the Do 24, Fw 200, Ju 290 and Bv 138, seaplanes such as the Ar 196 and He 115 and torpedo bombers such as some variants of the He 111 and Ju 88.

1940-1945 Night camouflage

Fighters

In the beginnin, night fighters would use regular camouflage schemes, as this would allow them to be used as day fighters if neccessary. When the dangers of the RAF bombing raids became apparent in June 1940, a dedicated night fighter scheme was adopted. This scheme was overall RLM 22 black and was in use untill 1942, when it was replaced with RLM 74/75/76, with RLM 76 occasionally being replaced by RLM 02. In early 1944 the night fighter scheme was simplified to RLM 75 over 76, with mottles or streaks of 76 on the upper surface. The lower starboard wing was to be painted in RLM 22, this however wasn’t always followed with a number of He 219’s being painted fully black on the bottom and on the sides.

Bombers

Bombers used in night operation were in July 1940 ordered to apply a black camouflage on their lower surfaces.

1944-1945 Late war splinter Scheme

In August of 1943, a notice was sent out announcing the future introduction of RLM 81 and 82, which were to replace RLM 70 and 71. This was made official by a Sammelmitteling in July 1944, around the time losses on the ground started to exeed losses in the air. Existing stock of RLM 70 and 71 were to be used up and replaced by RLM 81 and 82. If necessary, RLM 70 was to be mixed with 82, and RLM 71 with 81 (further increasing the amount of late war green shades). A month later, RLM 65 was to be replaced by RLM 76. A likely reason for this change was that RLM 70 and 71 contained chromium and RLM 65 contained Cobalt, bot necessary for the production of high-grade metals. RLM 81 / RLM 82 over RLM 76

1941-1944 Tropical Camouflage

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 until 1944 and the eastern front after units were send there.

1935-1945 RLM 05 Elfenbein

RLM 05 was one of the earliest colours specified by the RLM, but was also scrapped before 1936 for military use. As such, it doesn’t appear on any contemporary colour charts. Even the L.Dv. 521/2, which specifies glider paints, doesn’t contain this colour, as the specification only handles markings and registration codes. The colour however remained in use until the end of the war on some experimental and research aircraft, and on gliders of the NSKF (Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps, a German paramilitary organisation). RLM 02 was used for cockpits. The switch to RLM 66 wasn’t made as the contrast when vieuwed from above was deemed to much.