WWII German Winter camouflage

The winter overpaint and what lies beneath it

German winter camouflage was not a permanent coat of paint. Crews on the Eastern Front painted vehicles and equipment over in white, which could be washed off in the spring so that the original color appeared. The composition of the set matches this practice: alongside twelve shades there is Washable White, that is a white intended precisely for a temporary coat that can be deliberately disturbed to reveal the surface beneath.

The composition of the twelve shades

The basis is formed by a gray palette – Admiral Grey, Warm Grey, Neutral Grey and Moon Grey – complemented with Cold Black and pure Black for the deepest areas. The earthy tones are represented by Graveyard Earth, Brown, Dark Ochre and Black Brown, which will cover mud, dust and worn leather strapping. Ivory then serves to brighten white areas so that they do not look flat.

Use in practice

The palette does not serve vehicles alone. The same composition can handle winter uniforms, tarpaulins, snowdrifts on the running gear and the dirty traces of melting snow. The work proceeds from a dark base toward the light, with the white applied irregularly and deliberately imperfectly, as matched work carried out in the field. The package belongs to the same twelve-piece size as the other themed sets.

The composition will also serve builders of vehicles without a winter overpaint, because the gray and brown tones are versatile. With a snowy setting it is worth bearing in mind that pure white snow looks lifeless on a model, and that is precisely why the package offers several fine grays with which the shadow in a layer of snow can be suggested.