(Heer) Helmet colour scheme and timeline

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

Let's start a helmet timeline as a guide for all who want to restore a helmet!
If everyone contributes their knowledge this might turn into something useful!
I'll start off with Heer: (would be best to keep all branches separate to avoid confusion, keep the others to another thread please)

Pre-war: (35-38)

Models used:

M16
M18
M35

Paint used:

Erbsengrün (mostly seen on M16/18's and other trannies)
Apfelgrün (6003?) normally on M35's

Both decals worn
------------------------

1939:
Same as above
-------------------
1940:

Added the M40 model

First use of ral 6006 Feldgrün paint as a standard (correct?)

Removal of National tricolored shield ordered early 1940,
M40's mostly came from the factory with a single decal
M35's seen in their original paint scheme at least until after the may 1940 campaign
-------------------------

1941

Many single decal M40's produced and used, many M35's painted over in "m40" scheme

--------------------------
1942

Introduced the M42 model

Ral 6006 used

Single Decal on the early production

August 10th: Introduction of the Issue helmtarnnetz (helmet net)



Camouflage helmet colours:
Dunkelgelb: RAL 7028
Olivgrün: RAL 6003
Rotbraun: RAL 8017
All you need for a "normandy camo" helmet.

Hope this starts off.

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

Ok, according to Hirschmann ral 6003 might be a good one for Apfelgrun. Let's give it a try.

[Shergar]

Ok, according to Hirschmann ral 6003 might be a good one for Apfelgrun. Let's give it a try.

excellent thanks for the information , it has been cut and stored for future reference

[Wolfie]

A nice resource. Thanks!

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

RAL 1001 & 1002 was never used ! Mostley, this two colours are offered as RAL 7028 (Zeltplane and others) but this is totally wrong !

Correct "Africa" colours were, RAL 8000, RAL 8020 (Luftwaffe), RAL 7008, RAL 7027, RAL 7028

Deleted after 1945 from the RAL register is (The most important ),

RAL 8020 (Luftwaffe)
RAL 7027
RAL 7028

Exact reproduction of these colors are rare! In Germany there are only a few companys who are able to produce these colors according to the original recipe.

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

If anyone else has data they'd like to share, please post and it will be added to the top post.

Cheers

[Mooyman]

Source Ken Niewiarowicz's "Germany's Combat Helmets - 1933 - 1945: A Modern Study"


Here a list of who made what:
--------------------------------------
Light''apple'' colors:
ET 1935-1940
SE 1935-1940
NS 1936
Q 1936
------------------------------------------------------------
Dark fieldgray colors
ET (police) 1940
NS 1937-1939
Q 1937-1940
EF (all)

[Hans Gowert]

i believe this whole apfelgrun thing is shite, the actual colour is to dark . It is more pea green

[Mooyman]

i believe this whole apfelgrun thing is shite, the actual colour is to dark . It is more pea green

refer you to a seller who has this paint?..

[Hans Gowert]

well,

kommiss 'apple green' is extremely dark, grey with a slight green tinge to it. The pre war helmets are a totally different colour compared to komiss green. So are they wrong or is it our interpretation of apple green is wrong ?

[Mooyman]

I know from experience that it is difficult to talk about colors.
But you're right, that color is too dark
from kommiss( for an apple colour..)
I suppose ''pea''and ''apple'' are the same.
''We''(collectors,reenactors) gave that color that name because we can't worn an apple helmet
on a late- war event...
So that why it's a little bit confusing

The germans saw all helmet(heer and ss) colors as fieldgray,incl the pre-war colors...

Next time you could try to take the ral6003 from Frickwork.de
their vision of that color is a lot better.

[Hans Gowert]

yeah, i am struggling with that site

[Mooyman]

i orded 1kg ral6006 at Ferromil.de

let's see what his version of that color is.

If i have it will do an helmet with it,and place it here...

[Tommy]

Here's a couple of pictures showing some helmets, are the first two the colour that's refered to as apple or pea green?

Front to back- original, original, re-paint ral6006 (buffed with wirewool) repaint ral 6006 (unbuffed), Lufty at back.

[Mooyman]

a good comparison.

the 2nd helmet(front) has a nice pre-war color....yes look like ''apple''...