Dunkelgelb RAL 7028

Dark Yellow RAL 7028.

In February of 1942, the German beige grey »Einheitsfarbe« standard colour for agricultural equipment, developed around 1940, was given the standard designation »RAL 7028«1 by »Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen« (RAL), the government committee responsible for standardizing delivery conditions, in order to distinguish it from the very similar grey green »Grau RAL 7027«. Author Johannes Denecke thinks it is possible that existing inventory of the civilian standard colour »Dunkelgelb RAL 7028« was used up for military equipment from October 19422. A German manufacturer of military paints, on the other hand, claims to have found no evidence that »Dark Yellow I« was used by the Reichswehr or Wehrmacht3. It is undisputed that Heeresmitteilung (AHM) Nr. 181 of 18 February 1943 stipulated a new base colour »Dunkelgelb nach Muster«, or »Dark Yellow II« as it is now sometimes referred to, for military equipment.

While the common recommendation for »Dunkelgelb« used to be Humbrol 83 »Ochre« or Humbrol 94 »Brown Yellow«, today model builders have at their disposal a large number of carefully researched hues of dark yellow »I«, »II« or »III«. There is no single “correct” dark yellow. Vehicle paintwork ages and weathers in very different ways, depending on the weather conditions it is exposed to and the care it receives from its frequently changing crew. Into the 1980s, “Abdieseln” (literally “dieseling down”) was a forbidden, but quick and effective practice of cleaning military vehicles for inspection. Popular with the troops, but bad for the environment, dieseling attacks and dulls paintwork much faster than the officially prescribed cleaning agents would. Winter camouflage and camouflage pastes used by the Wehrmacht were dieseled off, with diesel fuel added to the detergent mix, several times a year when changing seasonal and regional terrain conditions made it necessary to adapt vehicle camouflage patterns accordingly. When units receive replacements, are amalgamated or re-equipped, any material that is still serviceably is routinely transferred to other units. In this way, used vehicles from different units and brand-new equipment can all end up in the same company. Camouflage patterns, turret number and tactical symbols will not match for some time, until a lull in the fighting provides an opportunity to repaint vehicles properly.

Dark Yellow I

  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Surface Primer, AK-Interactive AK11245
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 (Initial), AK-Interactive AK11318
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028, AK-Interactive RC060
  • Dark Yellow (Variant), AK-Interactive AK11320
  • Dark Yellow (Variant), AK-Interactive RC062
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028, Bombshell Brew 7028
  • Dark Yellow, Gunze H403
  • Ochre, Humbrol 83
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028, LifeColor UA 204
  • Sand (Yellow Ochre RAL 1024), Revell 361.16
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 I, Tru-Color TCP-1446
  • Dark Yellow, Tamiya XF-60
  • Dark Yellow, Tamiya TS-3
  • Dark Yellow (like TS3), ZeroPaints ZP-1286
  • Surface Primer Dark Yellow RAL 7028, Vallejo 70.604
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028, Vallejo Model Air 71.025
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944 DG I, A-MIG-011
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944, AK-Interactive AK11319
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944, AK-Interactive RC061
  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944, Mission Models MMP-019

Dark Yellow II

From February 1943, a new, lighter standard colour was available in the form of »Dunkelgelb nach Muster«.

Dark Yellow III

  • Dark Yellow RAL 7028 Ausgabe 1944 DG III, A-MIG-012

Bibliography

  • Denecke, Johannes: Tarnanstriche des deutschen Heeres 1914 bis heute (Bonn 1999)
  • Militärlacke GmbH, Bad Honnef: RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb

Wehrmacht Camouflage Patterns


1. Denecke, Johannes: Tarnanstriche des deutschen Heeres 1914 bis heute (Bonn 1999), p. 45
2. Denecke, Johannes: Tarnanstriche des deutschen Heeres 1914 bis heute, p. 45
3. Militärlacke GmbH, Bad Honnef: RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb