Did the Germans still use "Panzer Grey" at this time, or maybe they're just using available old stock? 
Use of Panzer Grey ceased in mid-late 1943 AIUI. Panzer yellow replaced it until late 1944 when green was introduced as the basic colour that all new and repaired vehicles were issued in. What colour they were painted in, in the field depended on available colours, available thinners (petrol being the preferred one) and what local conditions required.
A very complicated subject ........ not one to be casually debated on most forums without attracting JMNs and ridicule and vitriol in equal doses
I've been called out publically twice on forums over my choice of green and brown shades (on real world WWII German vehicles) by people who've never heard of RAL or a Heeresmitteilunge. It's an area that I may have dome a little research on (sadly not primary as I wish I could read German) and a subject I like to take seriously. Having said that it's modelling and even the most extensively scratch built / modified / converted and painted kit is still someones interpretation of it. Plus I make wargaming kits for people, lots of them and like to have some variations in my builds for sanity's sake.
Hence why I moved to '46 stuff for my own wargaming and personal builds and why I'm hesitant to do historical stuff in scales where rivet counters can operate. Theres always someone who knows your kit has the wrong number of sprocket teeth for the production month your vehicle was produced in .... fun it ain't.
Soooooo German camo colours ......
A Rickshaw mentions the use of Panzer grey was ceased and by late war availability was unlikely, not impossible. Stocks of other greys were certainly circulating within the German system, Fieldgrau for installations, naval and various Luftwaffe greys. Germans were (are?) organised and pedantic. General orders (with regards to manufacturing and paint) were generally followed as quickly as possible and carried out where humanly possible till supplies became impossible. Factories worked on a LIFO system based on the fact that any ordered changes were of war importance and were intergrated as quickly as possible. Having smaller production rates and stocks in general when compared to the allies helped this too.
A very simplified German AFV paint overview (non desert lol) .... theres a lot of info/debate behind each time period and interpretation of the actual shades that I won't bore anyone with.
1927 - 37 Buntfarbenanstrich (colorful paint pattern) Three colour scheme of earth yellow, brown, and green. Most commonly called the
Reichswehr scheme.
1937 - 40 Two tone scheme of Dunklegrau and Dunkelbraun
1940 Panzer grey overall although pictorial evidence indicates widespread (universal?) practise long before the HM order of July.
1941 White authorised for official winter camouflage overall and disruptive use
1942 Widespread use of Green and Chocolate Brown over Panzer grey. Not an official order but pictorially documented, esp in the East.
1943 February saw Dunkelgelb (Dark Yellow) instituted as overall factory base colour. Later in the year Olivgrun and
Dunkelbraun authorised and issued as field applied disruptive colours, recommended at roughly 1/3rd of total vehicle.
Nailing the actual shade of Dunkelgelb is like proving Santa exists to a scientist. Variously quoted as sand, greyish mustard, dull grey sand
and yellow brown. Your best bet for a colour is to look up pics of surviving vehicles, esp undersides, guards engine bay overspray.
For my two cents a lot of ancillary German heavy and field equipment was dunkelgelb and surviving example show very little variation.
I prefer a yellowish mustard with a greenish tint. Fade and vary to taste .......
1944 August Factories ordered to apply the disruptive green and brown colours with contrasting dots - the famous ambush scheme.
Note Daimler Benz, MAN / MHN had factory variations. the MAN / MHN being commonly called the disc ambush camouflage pattern.
1944 Order to use thinner paint in all factory applied disruptive schemes. Maybe result of supply issues as there is only factory anecdotal
evidence and no official Heeresmitteilungen (HM) or army release order documentation as proof.
1944 October OKH orders say all vehicles to leave factories in primer base with brush painted hard edged Olivgrun and Dunkelgelb
ambush patterns. There is some debate over this Red Oxide shade and reason for the OKH order. No HM documentation survives.
1944 November Olivgrun to be used as overall base colour with hard edged red brown and dark yellow disruptive overpainting.
1945 Return to Dunklegelb as base colour. Many primary sources say that some production was never fully changed away from it, despite
official orders.
Interior colours Note Hatches to be painted in exterior base colour.
1939 - 42 Upper interior (above sponson) to be Ivory (Elfenbein). Lower hulls to be Grey/Green.
1943 From late 1943 Grey/Green replaced by redoxide primer. No HM survives but all surviving examples have this feature.
1944 Mid 44, All interiors to be bare Red Oxide primer. This order was rescinded at the end of the year (probably due to crew complaints)
so variations would exist. Some late afvs could be have an all primer interior (stugs in particular seem to have this) while some
would have the primer/ivory combination.
Hope this is of interest to some and as theres no JMNs here I'd be interested in any comments ........
Brent
