Hobby color - RLM23 červená

The red of German markings

Shade number 23 served for national and tactical markings, for numbers, bands and for the colors of command aircraft. It also appears on the undersides of training and demonstration machines and on small elements that were meant to be conspicuous. It is saturated and clean, with no shift toward orange.

Paint properties

The carrier is a water-based binder; once dry the surface stays between flat and gloss. On smooth plastic the thinner of the same line proves itself for the sake of adhesion. Do not mix the paint with the lacquer lines of the same manufacturer, the mixture would curdle.

Advice on application

• Red pigments cover badly, a white base is practically a necessity
• Apply thin coats, a single wet one runs off the edges
• Mask bands and numbers only once the paint has dried completely
• Stir the paint, saturated pigment settles at the bottom quickly

With markings it pays to consider whether it is simpler to spray and mask the paint or to use a decal. On straight bands the sprayed finish tends to be cleaner, on complicated shapes and numbers a decal is more reliable and quicker.

Where the red appears

• National and tactical markings on the fuselage and wings
• Numbers and letters identifying the aircraft within its unit
• Colored engine cowlings and spinners on command aircraft
• Small elements that were meant to be conspicuous on the ground

With command colors the extent of the finish differed from unit to unit. Before you start masking a large red area, it pays to check against a photograph how far it actually reached.