How To Paint Wehrmacht Camouflage Uniforms
This is yet another of those many subjects that seem to have as many answers as there are painters. These methods, however, work for me, and give me a camouflage uniform I'm happy with.
I paint my figures from the inside out (and no, I don't bother with eyes), so I will show all the paint guides starting with an undercoated figure that has already had the assorted flesh tones applied. Since everyone has their own favourite for that, I'll restrict myself to saying that I paint the skin areas with GW Dwarf Flesh, put on a coat of flesh ink, drybrush with Dwarf Flesh, drybrush again with Bronzed Flesh and finish up (sometimes) with a final drybrush of Elf Flesh. I don't bother being particularly tidy, mainly as all "messes" are cleaned up by the subsequent layers of paint.
The other part that will be painted already is the normal field-grey part of the uniform, and for the same reasons.
I'll be illustrating my camouflage "how-to" with figures as I would have them when reaching the point that I start painting the camouflaged item.
My main reference book for the various Wehrmacht patterns is Europa Militaria 17: Wehrmacht Camouflage Uniforms & Post-War Derivatives. This little gem features models wearing a mixture of real and replica clothing, showing the various patterns off to best effect. These pictures are invaluable in trying to recreate the patterns in miniature. All replicas are clearly indicated, and usually shown with a real item in order to show how they differ.
Europa Militaria 17: Wehrmacht Camouflage Uniforms & Post-War Derivatives
Buntfarbenaufdruck (Heeres-Splittermuster 31)
Buntfarbenaufdruck ('multi-coloured print') was the basic pattern developed for the Reichswehr in the early 1930s. It was used for the standard camouflaged Zeltbahn 31 shelter quarter, which was issued to all units of the Reichsheer and Reichsmarine.
The camouflage pattern consists of a disruptive pattern of hard-edged wood brown and medium green polygons printed on a light field-grey or tan background. A random pattern of green dashes was also applied, in places, to improve the camouflage effect. The pattern was roller-applied, and repeated approximately every 44cm. The standard design was printed in lighter colours on one side of the material, and in more subdued colours on the other.
Buntfarbenaufdruck was later renamed Heeres-Splittermuster 31 ('army splinter pattern 31'). The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht continued to issue the camouflaged Zeltbahn 31 to all units of the Heer, Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe until 1945.
The Zeltbahn was the only standard camouflage garment to be widely issued to Wehrmacht units. In spite of the demonstrated effectiveness of the camouflage combat uniforms that were trialled by the Waffen-SS during the Polish Campaign, the OKW did not introduce its own camouflage uniforms until 1942. Neither did the OKW issue them as extensively as the Waffen-SS did.
Notwithstanding the scarcity of regulation camouflage uniforms, German soldiers in the field managed to produce camouflage uniforms of their own; numerous non-regulation garments were manufactured from Zeltbahn material.
During World War II, most of the items that had been manufactured in Heeres-Splittermuster 31 were superceded by versions manufactured in one or more Sumpfmuster designs. The only exception appears to be the Zeltbahn 31 shelter quarter, which continued to be produced in the Army splinter pattern until the end of the war.
Heeres-Splittermuster 31
Original Fabric Swatch
Information and image taken from kamouflage.net with permission.
Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41
Sometimes referred to as 'Splinter B', Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41 ('Luftwaffe splinter pattern 41') was clearly inspired by Heeres-Splittermuster 31. Like its forerunner, it comprises a disruptive camouflage pattern of hard-edged wood brown and medium green polygons printed on a light field-grey or tan background, with a randomly-applied overprint of green dashes. The principal difference between the two patterns is that Luftwaffe-Splittermuster features smaller splinter elements. The pattern is also more complex, presumably to improve the camouflage effect.
Since the pattern was not seen during the campaigns of 1940 but is well documented during the invasion of Crete, it seems likely that this pattern was introduced in 1941. Camouflage clothing produced in this pattern seems to have been limited to the parachutists' jump smock, or Knochensack, and the Luftwaffe Field Division jacket.
Two models of the Knochensack were produced in Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41 camouflage cloth. The earliest - and rarest - was the 'step-through' model, with short pants legs sewn in. The second model jump smock resembled the first type, but opened all the way down the front and could be put on like a normal jacket.
The Luftwaffe Field Division jacket does not appear to have been used before 1942. Earlier examples of this jacket are made from the same high-quality, windproof material that was used to make jump smocks and use the same dot fasteners to close the cuffs. Later examples were produced from cheaper material, and the cuffs were closed with buttons.
Other items made in Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41 include bandoliers for Mauser Kar 98K and Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 (abbrev. FG42, FjG42), grenade bags, and covers for the M36, M37 and M38 Fallschirmjäger helmet. There seems to be no evidence for factory-production of camouflage covers for the M35 and M42 steel helmet, as worn by members of the Field Divisions.
During World War II, most of the items that had been manufactured in Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41 were superceded by versions manufactured in one or more Sumpfmuster designs.
Luftwaffe-Splittermuster 41
Original Fabric Swatch
Information and image taken from kamouflage.net with permission.
Sumpfmuster 43
Late in 1942 or early in 1943, the Wehrmacht issued another distinct camouflage pattern, which has come to be known as Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 43 ('Wehrmacht marsh pattern 43'). It is also called water pattern, marsh pattern or tan and water pattern.
Like Heeres-Splittermuster 31, this new camouflage comprised wood brown and medium green polygons on a on a light grey-green or tan background, overprinted with a random pattern of green dashes. Unlike Heeres-Splittermuster 31, though, the edges of the wood brown and medium green elements were burred, to reduce their artificial appearance.
Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 43 was only the first of what eventually became a whole family of camouflage patterns. Indeed, evolutions and variants of Sumpfmuster were used for more different types of regulation military garment than any other pattern ever to be used by German armed forces.
Wehrmacht Sumpfmuster 43
Original Fabric Swatch
Information and image taken from kamouflage.net with permission.
Sumpfmuster 44
In 1944, the Wehrmacht issued another version of the Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 43 camouflage. Known as Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 44 ('Wehrmacht marsh pattern 44'), the burred edges of the wood brown and medium green elements were softened even further and the splinter effect was all but lost.
Like Heeres-Splittermuster 31 and Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 43 before it, Wehrmachts-Sumpfmuster 44 was produced on light grey-green and tan backgrounds, and the whole design was overprinted with a random pattern of green dashes, to improve the camouflage effect.
Wehrmacht Sumpfmuster 44
Original Fabric Swatch
Information and image taken from kamouflage.net with permission.
Heeres-Splittermuster 45
Late in the war, an experiemental form of Heeres-Splittermuster was produced, in which the established splinter pattern was overprinted with hard-edged carbon black polygons. Much like the 'dripping branches' overprint that was applied to SS-Leibermuster garments, these light-absorbing elements were introduced because of the appearance of infra-red imaging equipment, which reduced the effectiveness of earlier camouflage patterns. For lack of a better designation, this pattern has been dubbedHeeres-Splittermuster 45 ('army splinter pattern '45').
Heeres-Splittermuster 45 is not known to have been issued. The only surviving examples of this camouflage pattern are incomplete Zeltbahn sections.
Heeres-Splittermuster 45
Original Fabric Swatch
Information and image taken from kamouflage.net with permission.