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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
German cannon color
MatthewB88
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West Virginia, United States
Joined: November 27, 2016
KitMaker: 40 posts
Armorama: 15 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 07:21 PM UTC
I've noticed that some people, including adam wilder & mig jiminez,sometimes paint the cannon on their german tanks a dark grey color and everything else in a standard camo. Is their a specific reason for this? I know the cannons were replaceable, but did the spares leave the factory in this color?
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 07:47 PM UTC
Yes, that was the protective lacquer they applied to the barrels. Sometimes they were in such a hurry to return the tanks to active duty they didn't have time to paint the barrels to match the camo.
RLlockie
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United Kingdom
Joined: September 06, 2013
KitMaker: 1,112 posts
Armorama: 938 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 08:01 PM UTC
Barrels were factory-painted in heat-resistant lacquer which could be either grey or dark yellow. It is evident from colour photos that some barrels painted grey were fitted to vehicles produced long after Dunkelgelb replaced Dunkelgrau as the basic colour for vehicles and that this applied to various types.

I have not seen dark yellow barrels on grey vehicles so logically the introduction of the yellow lacquer was probably after the 1943 adoption of Dunkelgelb.
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