Another He-111 cockpit colour question

[Mark]

Hi all! I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for a plastic-filled New Year!

 

Santa was kind to me and for the first time in many a year I unwrapped a lovely box containing 324 pieces of ICM's finest plastic! The kit is the newly tooled He-111H-3 and my first impressions are far removed from the early ICM kits; this Heinkel is incredibly detailed and the finish of the parts is superb. So it went straight to the top of the build pile!

 

Now, the aircraft I want to reproduce is the subject of the box art, a He-111H-3 of Geschwaderstab/KG 53, based in France in August 1940. The instructions call for RLM02 for the cockpit and interior, however a little research indicates that most He-111 interiors were painted RLM66. The information I have found is that an order was given by the RLM in 1941 for the change from 02 to 66, but there is evidence that some aircraft already had 66 interiors. I'm confused, so I thought I'd ask you learned lot what colour should I paint my Heinkel's cockpit.

 

By the way, for the money, this kit has to be the best value ever! The interior detailing is fantastic for a 1/48 twin-engined aircraft, full bomb bay as well as full engine detail.

 

 

[europapete]

sounds like a great kit, well done! B of B time frame a/c would most likely be 02, but I will check the books when I get home ( am at work right now). Regards, Pete in RI. 

[Coors54]

You could check the He111 pinned thread on LSP http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=33650

 

It's aimed at the earlier aircraft but has some interesting info on cockpits and colours as does the sister thread on the Ju88. Photo bucket woes have stripped the pictures unless you have one of the hacks but the written info is good.

 

Dave

Edited December 30, 2017 by Coors54
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[Heraldcoupe]

I believe the He-111P-2 at Gardermoen has been (correctly) restored with RLM 66 as the interior colour. This aircraft was shot down in April 1940.
I don't have a link to the research which led to this, but I recall it being discussed with reference to the same museum's Ju-88A-1, which is another aircraft with RLM 66 interior predating the directive for this colour.

 

Cheers,

Bill.

 

 

[Mike]

How queer! I'm just reviewing this kit now... get on with the build, so I can see how it goes together!

[Seawinder]

13 hours ago, Mark said:

Hi all! I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for a plastic-filled New Year!

 

Santa was kind to me and for the first time in many a year I unwrapped a lovely box containing 324 pieces of ICM's finest plastic! The kit is the newly tooled He-111H-3 and my first impressions are far removed from the early ICM kits; this Heinkel is incredibly detailed and the finish of the parts is superb. So it went straight to the top of the build pile!

 

Now, the aircraft I want to reproduce is the subject of the box art, a He-111H-3 of Geschwaderstab/KG 53, based in France in August 1940. The instructions call for RLM02 for the cockpit and interior, however a little research indicates that most He-111 interiors were painted RLM66. The information I have found is that an order was given by the RLM in 1941 for the change from 02 to 66, but there is evidence that some aircraft already had 66 interiors. I'm confused, so I thought I'd ask you learned lot what colour should I paint my Heinkel's cockpit.

 

By the way, for the money, this kit has to be the best value ever! The interior detailing is fantastic for a 1/48 twin-engined aircraft, full bomb bay as well as full engine detail.

 

 

Based on Hyperscale threads on the same topic, there's a fair amount of photographic evidence that He 111 cockpits were being painted in RLM 66 well before 1941 -- almost certainly from the -P onward. I think you can safely use 66 for an H-3. FWIW, I did on mine.

Edited December 31, 2017 by Seawinder

[Mark]

So, what's the verdict chaps? RLM66 for the cockpit? So how about the rest of the interior, the same as the cockpit? Oh, and the wheel wells. Would they have remained RLM02?

 

I apologise for the questions but this is really not my genre and would like to do the best job I can.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings! 

[elger]

I would go for RLM66 in the cockpit, 02 for the bomb bay and the rear compartments. That's what I did with my 1/32 HE-111 H-5

[Seawinder]

4 hours ago, Mark said:

So, what's the verdict chaps? RLM66 for the cockpit? So how about the rest of the interior, the same as the cockpit? Oh, and the wheel wells. Would they have remained RLM02?

 

I apologise for the questions but this is really not my genre and would like to do the best job I can.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings! 

I'm with Elger: RLM 66 for the cockpit. Wheel wells and gear struts would be RLM 02 -- that pretty much didn't change throughout the War. Not sure about the dorsal gunner's position. I did it in 02, but there are references to be found of regulations stating that areas visible from outside should be in 66. Thoughts from anybody else?

[JPuente54]

Mark, some of the older guys(60s+) here(that's here in the USA) might remember a comedy group called "The Firesign Theater". One of the many albums(when vinyl still ruled) was called: "Everything You Know Is Wrong"; and, "Boy! Howdy!" is that correct when it comes to the correct colors for WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft. This site has in the last few months had some good references showing that RLM 66 was being used for the complete cockpit far earlier than was believed. You could go with Elger's choice; it's just as likely to be correct as not. Have a "Happy New Year" everyone.

Edited January 1, 2018 by JPuente54
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[Mark]

Well I never... I have just sat through the first half of the BoB film and although the Heinkel's are CASA's, they do seem to have RLM66 cockpits with the rest of the interiors, including the gun stations, in RLM02.