Is this the panzer blue/grey or other? Paint colour on AT gun.

[CanadianAR]

This is a French AT gun made in 1939, and would have been captured by the Germans in 1940. It was originally painted French Ordnance Tan, I think, looking st the under laying colour. It doesn’t quite strike me as dunkelgelb. Anyways the trailing arms and all gun equipment is dark dark dark grey/black. Which is fine. Could even be original. But the mantel and sheiks, and wheels have a dark grey/blue over top. Was not a quality paint job really, just looks to be brushed on overtop. Is this early Blue/grey? Or something else? I’d considered repairing it a German tan, or even adding a dark grey camo over this colour as camo patterns can be found in lots of period photos.

You can see the tan underneath in anywhere it’s bkue/grey.....also in dark looks more
Grey, in sun looks more blue....

So what is it? Are there any better places to ask? THANK YOU.

[DonC]

To me it almost looks like Field Blue, but when it was painted is anyone's guess.


Don

[Lloyd I.]

Its more like Grauviolett RLM 75


I resized your original and superimposed the RLM chip on it.

[Lloyd I.]

Just occurred to me this color looks very much like what was done to the Flak Panzer IV Wirbelwind at Borden, Ontario.

[CanadianAR]

YeH sorry for the image sizes. Photo bucket
Used to make them a good size but they blow these days.

I know it’s similar to the Borden stuff but the Borden stuff seems to always look bluish. This gun only looks blue in bright light or artificial light. Here it is natural light, overcast.

If it’s closer to the paint chip, was that a colour used by any branch?

[Lloyd I.]

Very hard call especially given that these images will also appear differently on various monitors.

You have presented 3 different images:

Indoors
Outside natural light clear day
Outside natural light overcast.

All depict different tonal qualities to the paint due to the lighting. You get the same thing with Olive Drab.

Here is your last image with the RLM and RAL Codes imposed.


RAL 7021 is Schwarzgrau what most call Panzer Gray
RLM 66 is also Schwarzgrau and used by the Luftwaffe
RLM 75 is Grau-Violet and used by the Luftwaffe


It's not pure Schwarzgrau but is a mix IMO of Luftwaffe RLM66 and 75 which is what is giving you those blueish hues. Again given the links to Canadian WW2 pieces it seems everything brought back got a coat of it. Leave it outside long enough and with UV your piece would like exactly like all the German armor left outside at Borden.

Ta

[CanadianAR]

I agree the colours aren’t far off but the best argument against it being a standard gov repaint like the Borden stuff is, A) The Borden stuff is flat chalky paint. B) this gun only had certain elements painted, it would have needed complete disassembly to paint some parts and not others.