Painting

Painting and its military properties.

Since the mid-eighties of the twentieth century, the German army uses a tri-color paint masking, according to NATO standards. The base is a green color (RAL6031), for which patches are applied in two colors: Black (RAL9021) and brown (RAL8027). Paint masking pattern is closely fixed – standardized – and cannot be accidental. The specific pattern of so-called masking paint „patches” is to ensure blurring the contours of the vehicle, which was painted in “Tarnfleck” technology. Car which is painted in such way blends with the environment. During the winter green patches are replaced with the white spots, sometimes painted directly by the soldiers with lime.

The transitions between patches can be „sharp” or „fuzzy”, and a second technique is acceptable. Initially, all vehicles were painted according to the masking model, but over time began to cover only those vehicles that are closest to the front. Supplies and support equipment is painted only with green paint.

Mainly because of the camouflage painting, you have to obtain a permit for export the Wolf from the Germany.

The paint itself, or rather it composition is very similar in case of all three colors. The base is made from artificial resins, and the curing agent gives that military character, which provides a level of opacity of paint.

Such painted car becomes extremely resistant to scratches, resulting from trees, shrubs and even from overcoming fences. Paint has one and I think the main advantage, vehicles are very hard to detect by night vision. It results that in addition to the military usage it is increasingly appreciated by the forest service, police and hunters, whose vehicles are less visible at night to wildlife.

Paint is not available on the civilian market, and its texture is closely guarded. There is a possibility to select a color similar to RAL, but this type of paint does not meet the conditions of combat and can „weigh” after the coating on the original military paint. In Germany there are several companies that have almost perfect copies of military coatings; we recommend that you use their services before your painter finds that he can’t do it at all.

If we already have such paint, the painting is easy – literally applied paint hides everything and dries within minutes.

few useful links:

http://www.militaerlacke.de/lack/1kkunstharzlacke/bundeswehr/index.php

http://www.panzerbaer.de/colours/a_relaunch/bw_lkw_00-9t_gl_wolf.htm