Luftwaffe pre-war splinter camouflage

[Admiral Puff]

I'm collecting information on this topic.

 

It seems (and I welcome any correction) that there was one basic pattern, displayed in one or two variations and several different combinations of colours. The patterns I have all depict medium (Dornier 17/Heinkel He 111) sized airframes. My question: what happened with larger airframes? Did the pattern repeat in some way, or was it simply expanded to fit? For example, assuming that splinter was still being used at the time (although I know that it wasn't), how would something the size of an He 111Z have been painted?

 

I've got Merrick, but it doesn't add to my knowledge. 

[Seawinder]

Merrick & Hitchcock has camouflage profiles of a bunch of larger planes, including the He 177. After a quick look through them, it doesn't appear to me that there was just one basic pattern, or at least it doesn't appear that the fairly large number of variations derived from one basic pattern. However, it does appear that the overall number of splinter areas was pretty much the same from plane to plane, meaning that the pattern was expanded to fit.

 

As for the He 111Z, here's a link to a site with a color plan profile. I have no idea where they obtained their data ...

https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.php?aircraft_id=528

[Graham Boak]

There was indeed a single pattern for large planes, but this is not immediately obvious looking at different types.  There was a large pattern for the splinter arrangement, and the plan outline of the aircraft was placed to cover this, and from this the precise pattern for each type could be taken.   The twins mentioned all have a short nose. with the wing forward, and so appear obviously similar.  The He177 had a longer nose, with the wing further aft, and so fits onto a different part of the master sheet.  As said above, the number of these segments is much the same on all types.  I believe that this explains the apparent differences.  As to the Zwilling, the twin fuselages will have fallen outside the limits of the standard patters.  I suspect that each fuselage may have been painted as individual He.111s.

 

However, this is wartime camouflage rules, adopted in 1938.  You need to change your title.  This scheme continued in use right up to the end of the war, it was never replaced by any other standard schemes.  By then the only bombers being built were the Ar234 and Ju388, and these continued in the splinter scheme of greens, but see also the Do335 and Me262.  Other schemes supplemented this in service but not as the default standard.

 

PS:  I have not attempted to fit any He177 pattern to the template, because I'm interested in two different schemes and have enough problems with them!  

[Admiral Puff]

Thanks to you both - that at least gives me something to go on with. Luftwaffe is not one of my usual areas of interest!