RAL Classic Colour Guide: Vallejo, Tamiya and AK Interactive | German WWII Paint Reference
RAL Classic Colour Guide — Vallejo, Tamiya & AK Interactive
German military colour standard · 33 RAL numbers · Vallejo Model Air & Model Color, Tamiya, AK Interactive 3G & Real Colors
The complete RAL Classic colour reference for scale modellers of German WWII and post-war subjects.
RAL Classic is the German industrial colour standard and the primary colour reference for German WWII military equipment. RAL 7021 Schwarzgrau was the standard overall colour for all German AFVs from 1939 to early 1943. RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb replaced it as the factory base colour from February 1943, applied in the field with RAL 6003 Olivgrün and RAL 8017 Rotbraun for the three-tone camouflage scheme used on virtually all late-war German AFVs. This guide covers all 33 modelling-relevant RAL numbers with Vallejo, Tamiya, AK Interactive 3G, and AK Real Colors matches.
Vallejo entries show a Model Air or Model Color badge. AK 3G entries marked dedicated are named directly for that RAL number. Entries marked close match are the nearest available paint. Where no single Tamiya paint matches a RAL number, a community mix box gives ratios by volume.
For RLM Luftwaffe colours see the RLM Colour Guide. For US military FS 595 colours see the FS 595 Paint Conversion Guide.
How to read this guide
Dedicated match: dedicated = a paint named or documented for that RAL number — use straight from the bottle.
Close match: close match = nearest available paint, not named for that RAL number. A good starting point but may need adjustment.
Community mix: Community mix boxes give ratios by volume. All ingredients linked.
Vallejo Model Air & Model Color: Water-based acrylics in 17ml dropper bottles. Model Air is pre-thinned for airbrushing; Model Color is a thicker formula suited to brush painting. Both ranges stock dedicated RAL matches verified against Vallejo’s own product pages.
Tamiya XF & LP: XF paints are a hybrid acrylic formula — alcohol-based acrylic thinnable with water, isopropyl alcohol, or lacquer thinners. Best results when airbrushed; brush painting works on small areas. LP lacquers are solvent-based, fast-drying, and the preferred choice for airbrushing.
AK Interactive 3G: Water-based acrylic in 17ml dropper bottles. Can be used brush or airbrush, often directly from the bottle. For airbrushing thin with AK's own 3G Thinner, Vallejo Airbrush Thinner, or isopropyl alcohol. The AFV Series includes dedicated RAL matches named directly for their colour standard — use straight from the bottle for period-accurate German armour subjects.
AK Real Colors: Lacquer-based dedicated matches — all period-specific variants shown where available. AK Real Colors are reported to dry with a slight satin sheen as their default finish — apply a flat varnish coat if a fully matt result is required.
Paint sheen: All paints in this guide are matt/flat unless otherwise stated in the product name.
Scale note: Adding 5–10% white to any camouflage colour is a common starting point at 1/48 and smaller. For full AK 3G AFV colour notes see the AK 3G AFV guide.
Whites & Creams — RAL 9xxx
White and cream tones used across German WWII and post-war subjects. RAL 9005 Jet Black on running gear, tyres, and vehicle interiors. RAL 9001 and 9002 as interior colours on German aircraft and AFVs, and as winter camouflage base coats. RAL 9003 Signal White for Balkenkreuz markings on Luftwaffe aircraft and Heer vehicle identification crosses.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 9001 | Cream White / Cremeweiß | 1939–present | Interior colour used in some German WWII aircraft cockpits and vehicle crew compartments. Also appears on post-war German AFVs and vehicles. Luftwaffe aircraft interiors as a lighter variant of RLM 02. | |||||
| RAL 9002 | Grey White / Grauweiß | 1939–present | Light grey-white used as a winter camouflage base and for post-war German military equipment. Also used on some Bundeswehr vehicles and equipment. Appears as a faded white on some late-WWII German AFVs with improvised winter schemes. | |||||
| RAL 9003 | Signal White / Signalweiß | 1939–present | Signal white — used for markings, crosses, and identification on German WWII and post-war equipment. Balkenkreuz white component on Luftwaffe aircraft and Heer vehicle markings. | |||||
| RAL 9005 | Jet Black / Tiefschwarz | 1939–present | German vehicle primer and interior colour. Also used on tyres, tracks, and equipment markings across WWII and post-war German subjects. Panzer III, IV, Tiger I, Panther, and virtually all German AFVs use RAL 9005 on running gear and interior components. |
Yellows & Beiges — RAL 1xxx
RAL 1001 Elfenbein as a German aircraft interior colour and early Afrikakorps base. RAL 1003 and 1006 Signal/Maize Yellow for vehicle identification markings and hazard panels. RAL 1039 Sandbeige as the lighter sand component on Afrikakorps vehicles — Panzer III and IV in North Africa alongside RAL 7008 and RAL 8000.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 1001 | Beige / Elfenbein | 1941–present | Ivory/Beige — used as an interior colour in some German WWII vehicles and aircraft. Also the base colour for some early Afrikakorps vehicles before dedicated sand colours were introduced. Appears on some Italian WWII equipment. | — | ||||
| RAL 1003 | Signal Yellow / Signalgelb | 1939–present | Signal Yellow — used for hazard markings, unit identification bands, and some vehicle markings on German WWII equipment. Also used on post-war Bundeswehr vehicles for equipment identification. | |||||
| RAL 1006 | Maize Yellow / Maisgelb | 1939–present | Maize Yellow — similar to Signal Yellow but slightly darker. Used on some German WWII vehicle identification markings and post-war industrial equipment. Also appears on some Italian and Axis-allied subjects. | — | — | |||
| RAL 1039 | Sand Beige / Sandbeige | 1941–1945 | Sandbeige — used on German WWII Afrikakorps subjects as a light sand component. Also appears on some Italian, Romanian, and Hungarian subjects in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Represents the lighter sand tones on DAK vehicles in summer conditions. | — | ||||
| RAL 1040 | Loam Beige / Lehmbeige | 1941–1945 | RAL 1040 Loam Beige — a warm beige used on some German WWII vehicles and equipment, particularly in the North African and Mediterranean theatres. Also appears on some late-war German AFVs and soft-skin vehicles as a field-applied lighter tone over Dunkelgelb. | — | — |
Oranges — RAL 2xxx
RAL 2004 Pure Orange for safety and recovery vehicle identification markings on German WWII and post-war Bundeswehr subjects.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 2004 | Pure Orange / Reinorange | 1939–present | Pure Orange — used for safety markings, recovery vehicle identification, and some ground support equipment on WWII and post-war German subjects. Also appears on some Bundeswehr training equipment. | — | — |
Reds — RAL 3xxx
RAL 3000 and RAL 3020 used for fire equipment identification, vehicle markings, and hazard panels across German WWII and post-war subjects. Also used on some Italian and Soviet vehicle marking components.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 3000 | Flame Red / Feuerrot | 1939–present | Flame Red — used for fire extinguisher markings, hazard identification, and some vehicle equipment on German WWII and post-war subjects. Also appears on Italian and Soviet vehicle markings. | |||||
| RAL 3020 | Traffic Red / Verkehrsrot | 1939–present | Traffic Red — used for vehicle markings, identification panels, and some equipment on German and post-war European military subjects. Also used on some Bundeswehr and NATO vehicle identification markings. | — |
Blues — RAL 5xxx
RAL 5001 and RAL 5005 used on German naval equipment, post-war Bundeswehr subjects, and NATO vehicle identification markings.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 5001 | Green Blue / Grünblau | 1939–present | Green Blue — used on some German naval equipment and post-war Bundeswehr subjects. Also appears on some NATO naval vessel markings and equipment. | — | — | |||
| RAL 5005 | Signal Blue / Signalblau | 1939–present | Signal Blue — used for equipment identification markings on post-war German and NATO subjects. Also appears on some WWII German vehicle equipment panels. | — |
Greens — RAL 6xxx
RAL 6003 Olivgrün — the essential late-war German camouflage green, used on virtually every German AFV from 1943 onward alongside RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb and RAL 8017 Rotbraun. Panzer IV Ausf.H/J, Panther, Tiger I, Tiger II, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger, and all major late-war German AFVs. RAL 6007 and RAL 6011 for early-war vehicle camouflage and field uniform components. RAL 6040 Helloliv as a lighter contrast tone in Mediterranean and North African schemes.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 6003 | Olive Green / Olivgrün | 1939–1945 | RAL 6003 Olivgrün — the standard German WWII late-war camouflage green. Used alongside RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb and RAL 8017 Rotbraun in the three-tone scheme from early 1943 onward. Panzer IV Ausf.H/J, Panther Ausf.D/A/G, Tiger I, Tiger II, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger, and virtually all late-WWII German AFVs. Also used as a base for some North African and Eastern Front soft-skin vehicles. | |||||
| RAL 6006 | Feldgrau / Field Grey | 1939–1945 | RAL 6006 Feldgrau — German WWII field grey-green used on some vehicle and equipment components, particularly on earlier vehicles and equipment from 1939–1941. Also used on some German uniform equipment and leather components. Transitional colour between early-war grey schemes and the later Dunkelgelb base. | — | — | |||
| RAL 6007 | Bottle Green / Flaschengrün | 1939–1945 | Bottle Green — a very dark green used on some early-war German equipment and vehicle interiors. Also appears on some railway equipment and post-war German subjects. | — | ||||
| RAL 6011 | Reseda Green / Resedagrün | 1939–1945 | Reseda Green — used on German WWII equipment, field uniforms, and some early-war vehicle camouflage. Also appears on some Austro-Hungarian and WWI-era subjects as a transitional military green. Appears on some Panzer II and early Panzer III subjects. | — | — | |||
| RAL 6031 | Bronze Green / Bronzegrün | 1939–present | RAL 6031 Bronze Green — NATO standard green used on Bundeswehr vehicles and equipment from the 1970s onward. Also used on some post-war German and European NATO armoured vehicles. Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 in some European service schemes alongside RAL 6014 and RAL 7013 in the standard Bundeswehr three-tone camouflage. | — | — | |||
| RAL 6040 | Light Olive / Helloliv | 1939–1945 | Light Olive — a lighter olive green used on some German WWII vehicle camouflage components, particularly in the Mediterranean and North African theatre as a lighter contrast tone. | — |
Greys — RAL 7xxx
The most-referenced section. RAL 7021 Schwarzgrau — the standard overall German AFV colour from 1939 to early 1943, used on Panzer I through Panzer IV, StuG III, Sd.Kfz. 251, and all German armour in Poland, France, North Africa (early), and the Eastern Front 1941–1942. RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb — the replacement factory base colour from February 1943, used on Panther, Tiger I, Tiger II, and virtually all late-WWII German AFVs as the foundation for three-tone camouflage. RAL 7008 Khakigrau for Afrikakorps and Mediterranean subjects. RAL 7027 and RAL 7009 for late-war and post-war Bundeswehr subjects.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 7008 | Khaki Grey / Khakigrau | 1939–1945 | RAL 7008 Khakigrau — used on German WWII desert and tropical subjects in the North African and Mediterranean theatres. Appears on Panzer III and IV in Afrikakorps service, soft-skin vehicles, and equipment in DAK schemes. Also used on some Italian and Romanian subjects in warm-climate theatres. | |||||
| RAL 7009 | Green Grey / Grüngrau | 1939–1945 | Green Grey — used on some German WWII vehicle camouflage in the late-war period. Also appears as an interior colour on some German AFVs and equipment. Bundeswehr vehicles in some post-war schemes. | — | ||||
| RAL 7016 | Anthracite Grey / Anthrazitgrau | 1939–present | Anthracite Grey — used on some German WWII vehicle equipment, post-war Bundeswehr subjects, and NATO vehicles. Also appears on some German naval equipment and heavy transport vehicles. | — | ||||
| RAL 7017 | Dark Brown / Dunkelbraun | 1939–1945 | RAL 7017 Dunkelbraun — used on some German WWII vehicle undercarriages, running gear, and as an interior colour on certain AFVs. Also appears as a transition colour in some early-war German vehicle camouflage. | — | — | |||
| RAL 7021 | Black Grey / Schwarzgrau | 1939–1942 | RAL 7021 Schwarzgrau — the standard overall German AFV colour from 1939 to early 1943. Panzer I, II, III, IV, StuG III, and virtually all German armoured vehicles in the early-war and mid-war periods in Poland, France, North Africa (early), and the Eastern Front (1941–1942). Replaced by RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb in February 1943 as the new standard base colour. | — | ||||
| RAL 7027 | Cement Grey / Betongrau | 1939–present | Cement Grey — used on some German WWII vehicle equipment and post-war Bundeswehr and NATO subjects. Also appears as a faded grey on worn or weathered German AFVs in the late-war period. | — | ||||
| RAL 7028 | Dark Yellow / Dunkelgelb | 1943–1945 | RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb — the standard German AFV base colour from February 1943 onward, replacing RAL 7021 Schwarzgrau. Applied as a base coat in the factory over which field-applied RAL 6003 Olivgrün and RAL 8017 Rotbraun camouflage was applied. Panzer IV Ausf.H/J, Panther Ausf.A/D/G, Tiger I, Tiger II, Jagdpanther, Hetzer, StuG IV, Nashorn, Hummel, and virtually all late-war German AFVs. Note: the colour varied considerably in practice — the 1944 variant is distinctly darker than the initial 1943 shade. |
Browns — RAL 8xxx
RAL 8017 Rotbraun — the standard dark red-brown camouflage component of the three-tone scheme, applied over RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb base alongside RAL 6003 Olivgrün on Panzer IV, Panther, Tiger I, Tiger II, and all late-WWII German AFVs from 1943. RAL 8012 as a primer colour and interior red-brown. RAL 8000 Gelbbraun and RAL 8020 Braun for Afrikakorps subjects — Panzer III and IV in DAK service. RAL 8031 Sandbraun for North African and Mediterranean theatre vehicles.
| RAL | Name | Colour | Period | Subjects & Vehicles | Vallejo | Tamiya | AK Interactive 3G ↑ top | AK Real Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAL 8000 | Yellow Brown / Gelbbraun | 1939–1945 | RAL 8000 Gelbbraun — Yellow Brown used in the German WWII Afrikakorps tropical scheme alongside RAL 7008 Khakigrau. Panzer III and IV in North African service, Rommel's command vehicles, and soft-skin transport in DAK service. Also used on some Italian subjects operating alongside German forces. | |||||
| RAL 8012 | Red Brown / Rotbraun | 1943–1945 | RAL 8012 Rotbraun — used as a primer colour and as a camouflage component on some late-WWII German AFVs. Also appears as the standard Rotbraun interior colour on German armoured vehicles. Panzer IV, Tiger I, Panther with red-brown primer camouflage visible through chipped or worn paint. | |||||
| RAL 8013 | Red Brown / Rotbraun | 1939–1945 | RAL 8013 Rotbraun — similar to RAL 8012 but slightly redder. Used on German WWII vehicle camouflage as an alternative Rotbraun shade. Appears on some Panzer subjects as a field-applied camouflage component alongside RAL 7028 and RAL 6003. | — | ||||
| RAL 8017 | Chocolate Brown / Schokoladenbraun | 1943–1945 | RAL 8017 Rotbraun — the standard dark red-brown camouflage component used alongside RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb and RAL 6003 Olivgrün in the standard three-tone German late-war scheme. Applied in field patterns over Dunkelgelb base on Panzer IV, Panther, Tiger I, Tiger II, and virtually all late-WWII German AFVs from 1943 onward. | |||||
| RAL 8020 | Pale Brown / Gelbbraun hell | 1941–1945 | RAL 8020 Braun — a medium brown used on some German WWII Afrikakorps and Mediterranean theatre vehicles. Also appears on some Italian and Romanian subjects and as a field-applied camouflage on Eastern Front vehicles. | |||||
| RAL 8031 | Sand Brown / Sandbraun | 1941–1945 | Sand Brown — used on some German WWII Afrikakorps and Mediterranean theatre vehicles as a sand-tone camouflage component. Also appears on some Italian subjects and post-war Middle Eastern military equipment. | — | — |
Stocking Vallejo, Tamiya & AK Interactive RAL colours at Wheels & Wings
All paints in this guide are stocked at our Toronto store at 1880 Danforth Ave and available online with shipping across Canada. For full colour guides by brand see the Vallejo Model Air guide, Tamiya XF Acrylic guide, and AK 3G AFV & Figure guide.
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