Finland

Ilmavoimat - 1940 Camouflage Scheme

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'

Brewster B-239 (BW-376) 1/LeLv 24, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), October 1941 (Pilot: Lentomestari Viktor Pyotsia) Artist: © Don Greer

Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV (BL-201/'A') PLeLv 48, Onttola, Finland, August 1944 (Pilot: Majuri Erkki Ahtiainen, CO of PleLv 48) Artist: © Don Greer

Curtiss Hawk H-75A-2 (CU-574) Detachment of HLeLv 32, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), February 1944 Artist: © Don Greer

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

Douglas DC-2 (DO-1) Ilmavoimat HQ Flight, Helsinki-Malmi, Finland, Summer 1942 Artist: © Don Greer

Fokker C.X (FK-97) 3/LeLv 16, Viiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), March 1942 Artist: © Don Greer

Fokker D.XXI (FR-148) 3/LeLv 30, Tiiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), June 1942 (Pilot: Luutnanti Martii Kalima) Artist: © Don Greer

Gloster Gladiator Mk.II (GL-265) 1/LeLv 16, Vitska (Karhumaki), Finland, June 1942 Artist: © Don Greer

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

Ilyushin DB-3M (DB-13) PLeLv 46, Kemi, Finland, October 1944 Artist: © Don Greer

Junkers Ju 88A-4 (JK-268) 3/PLeLv 44, Onttola, Finland, June 1944 (Pilot: Lentomestari Unto Oksala) Artist: © Don Greer

Lavochkin LaGG-3 (LG-1) LeLv 32, Nurmoila, USSR (now Russia), September 1943 Artist: © Don Greer

Messerschmitt Bf.109G-2 (MT-213) 2/HLeLv 24, Suulajarvi, USSR (now Russia), July 1944 (Pilot: Luutnanti Eero Riihikallio) Artist: © Don Greer

Morane-Saulnier MS.406 (MS-311) 1/LeLv 14, Tiiksjarvi, USSR (now Russia), July 1943 (Pilot: Vanrikki Lasse Kurten) Artist: © Don Greer

Petlyakov Pe-2 (PE-211) 2/PLeLv 48, Onttola, Finland, August 1944 (Pilot: Kapteeni Jaanko Ranta) Artist: © Don Greer

Tupolev SB-2M-103 (SB-1) 2/LeLv 6, Helsinki-Malmi, Finland, October 1942 (Pilot: Luutnanti Erkki Forsten) Artist: © Don Greer

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

VL Myrsky II (MY-22) HLeLv 26, Kemi, Finland, October 1944 Artist: © Don Greer

Westland Lysander Mk.I (LY-120) 2/LeLv 16, Solomanni, USSR (now Russia), June 1942 Artist: © Don Greer