Great Britain RAF - Day Fighter Scheme (August 1941 to end of 1940s)
Germany (Nazi) Luftwaffe - 1940 Fighter Scheme (Since May 1940)
Slovakia SVZ - Khaki Camouflage Scheme (1939 - 1944)
USA USAAF - OD Green Scheme (1940 - 1953)
Finland Ilmavoimat - 1940 Camouflage Scheme (1938-1942)
France Armee de l'Air/Aeronavale - Multicolour Scheme (1938-1942)
Yugoslavia VVKJ - 1938 Camouflage Scheme (1938-1941) VVKJ - 1939 Fighter Camouflage Scheme (1939-1940) VVKJ - Modified Three-tone Camouflage Schemes (1940-1941)
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FinlandIlmavoimat - 1940 Camouflage Scheme1938-1942
A new two-tone disruptive camouflage scheme was introduced in November of 1940 for
all the first line combat aircraft of the Ilmavoimat. A wavy soft-edged pattern of
Oliivinvihrea / Musta was applied on the upper and side surfaces, the undersides continued
to be painted light grey or aluminium dope as before. Although a more or less standard
pattern existed for each type, many variations occurred in the colour demarcation lines.
On May 7, 1942, the German RLM65 colour was validated for use on the undersides of all
Finnish warplanes. Although the new colour was officially denominated Vaaleansininen
in the Finnish service, it was more commonly known as 'DN-vari' (DN-colour, DN for
Dornier) among Ilmavoimat personnel. The change of undersides colour was always performed
during major overhauls or bigger repairs at the Valtion Lentokonetehdas (State
Aircraft Factory) or at the Lentovarikko (Aviation Depot), never by units on the
ground.
Also from May of 1942 onward, the upper and side surfaces of the many captured Soviet
aircraft put into service by the Ilmavoimat began to be painted in an unusual hard-edged
'splinter' pattern of Oliivinvihrea / Musta. This German-looking scheme was most probably
used to prevent these aircraft from being misidentified as Soviet VVS ones.
A temporary coat of whitewash paint, usually just a mix of glue and chalk, was sometimes
applied on aircraft for additional camouflage during the winter months. It was most often
applied roughly covering the Musta segments of the standard camouflage pattern on the upper
and side surfaces, although the odd solid white and random mottled schemes have also been
documented.
Fokker D.XXI - 1940 Camouflage Scheme
 Oliivinvihrea |
 Musta |
 Hopeanharmaa 'Alumiini' |
 Vaaleanharmaa |
 Vaaleansininen 'DN-vari' |
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Brewster B-239 (BW-376)
1/LeLv 24, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), October 1941 (Pilot: Lentomestari Viktor Pyotsia) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV (BL-201/'A')
PLeLv 48, Onttola, Finland, August 1944 (Pilot: Majuri Erkki Ahtiainen, CO of PleLv 48) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Curtiss Hawk H-75A-2 (CU-574)
Detachment of HLeLv 32, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), February 1944 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Dornier Do 17Z-1 (DN-51)
2/LeLv 48, Immola, Finland, June 1943 (Pilot: Kapteeni Jussi Raty, CO of 2/LeLv 48) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Douglas DC-2 (DO-1)
Ilmavoimat HQ Flight, Helsinki-Malmi, Finland, Summer 1942 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Fokker C.X (FK-97)
3/LeLv 16, Viiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), March 1942 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Fokker D.XXI (FR-148)
3/LeLv 30, Tiiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), June 1942 (Pilot: Luutnanti Martii Kalima) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Gloster Gladiator Mk.II (GL-265)
1/LeLv 16, Vitska (Karhumaki), Finland, June 1942 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Fiat G.50 (FA-25)
3/LeLv 26, Kilpasilta, USSR (now Russia), October 1942 (Pilot: Luutnanti Olli Puhakka, CO of 3/LeLv 26) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Ilyushin DB-3M (DB-13)
PLeLv 46, Kemi, Finland, October 1944 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Junkers Ju 88A-4 (JK-268)
3/PLeLv 44, Onttola, Finland, June 1944 (Pilot: Lentomestari Unto Oksala) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Lavochkin LaGG-3 (LG-1)
LeLv 32, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), September 1943 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Messerschmitt Bf.109G-2 (MT-213)
2/HLeLv 24, Suulajarvi, USSR (now Russia), July 1944 (Pilot: Luutnanti Eero Riihikallio) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Morane-Saulnier MS.406 (MS-311)
1/LeLv 14, Tiiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), July 1943 (Pilot: Vanrikki Lasse Kurten) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Petlyakov Pe-2 (PE-211)
2/PLeLv 48, Onttola, Finland, August 1944 (Pilot: Kapteeni Jaanko Ranta) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Tupolev SB-2M-103 (SB-1)
2/LeLv 6, Helsinki-Malmi, Finland, October 1942 (Pilot: Luutnanti Erkki Forsten) Artist: © Don Greer |
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Polikarpov I-153 (IT-16)
3/LeLv 6, Rompotti, USSR (now Russia), July 1942 (Pilot: Kapteeni Per-Erik Ahonius, CO of 3/LeLv 6) Artist: © Don Greer |
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VL Myrsky II (MY-22)
HLeLv 26, Kemi, Finland, October 1944 Artist: © Don Greer |
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Westland Lysander Mk.I (LY-120)
2/LeLv 16, Solomanni, USSR (now Russia), June 1942 Artist: © Don Greer |
by Stephen Sender
Last update: 05/08/2013
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