WW I CENTRAL POWERS

2005-12-10

WORLD WAR I CENTRAL POWERS


These are the colors (Testors) which I've found most closely match the pictures (boxes, Osprey books, etc.).

For one shade colors, here are the Testors numbers;
ALL COLOR NUMBERS ARE TESTORS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.
Testors is sold in Europe under the name "Model Master".

NOTE: colors based on "Military Uniforms In Colour", Preban Kannik, Blandford Press, London, 1968, the Osprey books-Men At Arms series #269, #356, #379, #387, #392, #397, and the box art.

GERMAN ARTILLERY

German guns (it's 7.7, not 7.6 BTW) started out painted the traditional Prussian "light blue grey. "Call it Flat Gull Grey (1730). This was TOO light, so they next went to Dark Gull Grey ( (1740). Towards the end of the war, the Germans went to a camouflage scheme, created by drawing random lines in black paint, then filling in the segments with various colors. I have a treatise someplace on the colors used. For the moment call them Green (2029), Sand (1706) and Dark Tan (1742). Flat Gull Grey (1730) in place of Sand is also possible. The black lines were left in place and not painted over.
For Artillery, three kinds (Horse, Foot and Field) plus variant details depending on which Army it was part of (sigh). Essentially, the same uniform as the Infantry (grey with red piping) but with soft caps with black, rather than red capbands (but still red piping).



GERMAN INFANTRY 1914
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
Tunic, Trousers, Overcoats, Caps,helmet,puttees -- Dark Gull Gray (1740), Jaegers -- Green (2029)
Epaulet trim -- See NOTES
Cap bands and all uniform piping -- Insignia Red (1705), Jaegers -- Medium Green (1713)
Helmet Covers -- Armor Sand (1704) etc.(see NOTES), Jaegers -- Pale Green (1716)
Regimental number (Battalion number for Jaegers) -- Insignia Red (1705)
Boots, pack, straps, ammunition pouches, bayonet scabbard, holster-- (early) Dark Tan (1742),(late) black
flame thrower tank and hose -- black
M/G's - Dark Gull Grey (1740).
MG belt,ammo belts,grenade sacks -- dark tan (1742)
artillery shells,MG bullets -- brass
gas mask container -- Euro gray (1788)
gas mask & strap -- dark tan (1742)
gas mask can filter -- dark gull gray (1740)
gas mask lenses -- field drab (1702) or flesh
Bedroll -- Flat Tan (1167)
Haversack, canteen -- Armor Sand (1706)
Belt buckle, -- Gold
Buttons, center of belt buckles -- Flat Gull Gray (1730)
Hair, wooden parts of rifles,shovel handle,grenade handle -- Brown, Italian dark (2111)
Rifle barrels, pistol,rifle scope,binocculars,grenade top -- Gunmetal (1795)
canteen top,shovel,wrench,bayonet -- steel
sword -- silver
Hands, face -- Flesh
chin strap -- black
base—brown Fr. Earth 2108 OR green 2029



NOTES: In 1914, the trim of the soldier's epaulets reflected the Army Corps he was assigned to:

I, II, IX, X, XII (1st Saxon) and 1st Bavarian -- White
III, IV, XI, XIII, XV, XIX (2nd Saxon) and 2nd Bavarian -- Red
V, VI, XVI, XVII and 3rd Bavarian -- Pale Yellow
VII, VIII, XVIII, XX -- Light Blue
XXI -- Light Green
Prussian Guard and XIV (Baden) -- By unit, White, Red, Pale Yellow, Light Blue

The Germans had two basic uniforms in 1914, one for the Jagers and some light cavalry ( I think), and another for everyone else. The details are a mess. We are dealing with several armies too, the Prussian, Saxon, Bavarian etc..
Same uniform, details vary by Army and by Regiment. The whole Imperial German Army had a uniform change circa 1916. But, with wartime shortages, the old uniforms could be seen till the end of the war.

The Germans issued Reed Green helmet covers starting in 1892 but by 1914, helmet covers were supposed to be mustard yellow. Apparently, an exact color match wasn't considered important and pickelhaube covers could also be grey (matching or not matching the uniform), ocher or light brown. It would have been the same color for the whole unit, of course. The reverse of the cover has a red band around the bottom, for maneuvers. Reserve Regiments had the letter R above the Regimental number. Landsturm units had a small Iron Cross over their numbers. Jaegers retained their Reed Green covers.

Suggested Reference -- Osprey Men At Arms series #: The German Army 1914-18.

Suggested Figures: HaT WW I German Infantry #700. Jaegers can be made from the same set by trimming the pickelhaube into the Jaeger shako.

In 1915, the Germans went to black leather gear and boots and a simplified tunic. Epaulets, if worn, were now all one solid color, rather than trim, and now reflected their Branch (red for Horse and Field Artillery, Yellow for Foot.)

Steel helmets matched the tunics, but, late war, were segment camouflaged like the guns.

The officer supplied in the EMNAR kit is no doubt a member of the Saxon Army. In all other cases, the spike of the picklehable was a round cannon ball. The officers supplied with the Hat/Airfix kit with the field glasses would go well here too.

The picklehable cover displayed the Regimental number in red, with a flaming grenade (use a toothpick to do this) above. Except for the Bavarians, who used only the number.

Yes it is confusing. Try throwing in Saxon, Swedish and Brandenburg cuffs. And the Guard units. And the 60th (Mecklenburg) Artillery that had silver buttons instead of gold.

I believe the Kannik book is correct. As I recall it shows the correct shade of brown leather. The Germans went to black leather in 1915, probably "lower visibility" or maybe because they were moving to Erzatz stuff.

In 1915, for example, the Germans stopped making their picklehaube helmets in leather. They went to tin, felt and even pressboard. The "fitzhelm" (SP?) had no insignia, no spike, and the cover was permanently fixed in place. BTW, imagine going to the Western Front in 1915, with all the artillery barrages, and they give you a CARDBOARD HELMET! LOL

I make a general assumption about modern military stuff. Whatever color that country decides on for their Army, that's the color they paint everything. Trucks, wagons, cannon, mess kits, steel helmets, etc. (This is not always true, of course.) For Britain it was, what did I say? SAC Bomber Tan (1792) I think?

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN INFANTRY (1914-16)
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
uniform,cap,leggings,blanket roll--gray Fr.dark blue 2105
haversack--tan 1167
officer boots,cap peak--black
belt,shoes,pouches,rifle strap,pack,shovel cover,officer leggings,holster--leather 1736
straps--leather 1736 OR tan 1167
haversack strap--tan 1167
scabbard--steel OR black
sword handle--steel and black
braids/pompoms--red 1150 OR green interior 1715
collar tabs--green interior 1715 OR red 1150 OR yellow 1169
ropes--sand 1706
hair,wooden parts of rifle,officer walking stick--brown ital.dark 2111
metal parts of weapons--gunmetal 1795
bayonet--steel
belt buckle,cap buttons--gold
strap buckles and buttons--steel
buttons,MG belt--brass
mortar,mortar shell,MG tripod,ammo box--green afrika brown 2099
shovel handle,telephone box--wood 1735
telephone and cord--black
hands,face--flesh
moustache--brown ital.dark 2111
base—brown Fr. Earth 2108 OR green 2029



AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN INFANTRY (1916-18)
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
uniform,cap,blanket roll--gray dark ghost 1741
puttees--flint gray 2037
helmet--armor sand 1704
haversack--tan 1167
officer boots--black
belt,shoes,pouches,rifle strap,pack,shovel cover--leather 1736
straps--leather1736 OR sand 1706
haversack strap--tan 1167
scabbard--steel OR black
sword handle--steel and black
ropes--sand 1706
hair,wooden parts of rifle,officer walking stick--brown ital.dark 2111
metal parts of weapons--gunmetal 1795
bayonet,belt buckle,strap buckles and buttons--steel
buttons,MG belt--brass
mortar,mortar shell,MG tripod,ammo box--green afrika brown 2099
shovel handle,telephone box--wood 1735
telephone and cord--black
hands,face--flesh
moustache--brown ital.dark 2111
base—brown Fr. Earth 2108 OR green 2029

OTTOMAN/TURKISH INFANTRY (1914-18)
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
uniform--brown afrika 2102 puttees--sand 1706 kabalak helmet--brown afrika 2102 steel helmet--steel officer Kalpak hat--brown FR.chestnut 2107 officer Kalpak hat top--red 1150 and gold haversack and strap,puttee top (if present),blanket roll,canteen--camouflage gray 1733 artillery officer epaulettes, collar and kabalak trim--cobalt blue 2012 officer boots--black officer sword tassle--gold officer scabbard--steel belt,pouches,shoes,straps,scabbard,binocular case and strap,pack,rifle strap--leather 1736 infantry officer epaulettes and collar,ammo box,grenade,machine gun base,howitzer--interior green 1715 artillery shell-brass with black tip howitzer wheel rims--gunmetal 1795 howitzer seats--leather 1736 buttons,MG belt--brass officer cord--gold belt buckle--brass or steel canteen top,scabbard trim--steel wooden parts of weapons--brown ital.dark 2111 hair--black metal parts of weapons,binoculars,range finder--gunmetal 1795 hands,face--flesh moustache--black chin strap (steel helmet)--leather 1736 base—brown Fr. Earth 2108 OR green 2029



ITALIAN INFANTRY
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
uniform,cloth cap--olive,italian 2112
pack and straps--gray light blue 2109 OR tan,radome 1709
pack roll--olive,italian 2112 OR gray light ghost 1728
haversack and strap--tan,radome 1709
steel helmet,straps,pouches--black aircraft int. 2040
scabbard--black
inside collar--white
collar patch--black and red 1150 OR red 1150 and white OR black and white
scabbard trim--brass
hair,wooden parts of weapons--brown,ital.dark 2111
hands,face--flesh
shoes,rifle strap--leather 1736
chin strap--black
metal parts of weapons--gunmetal 1795
base—brown Fr. Earth 2108 OR green 2029

GERMAN COLONIAL TROOPS
PART/ITEM -- COLOR
coat,pants,helmet,pack,hat--sand 1706
blanket roll--medium gray 1721
puttees--sand 1706 OR blue RAF azure 2048
canteen,scabbard--black
canteen bottom and cap--steel
leggings (if present),belt,straps,pouches,holster,shoes--leather 1736
haversack and strap--brown afrika 2102
shoulder straps--sand 1706
belt buckle,buttons--brass
hair,wooden parts of weapons--brown ital.dark 2111
bayonet,scabbard trim--steel
rifle strap--leather 1736
hands face--flesh (Germans) OR skin dark tint 2002 (Africans)
base--sand 1706