Jasta - Personal Colour Schemes

Personal Colour Schemes

German aircraft left the factory in a standard finish - although this differed from one manufacturer to another. Initial clear varnish on both fabric and wooden surfaces had changed by 1916 to various camouflage schemes. In the Jagdstaffeln, however, this gave way to a riot of colour, as individual pilots took to repainting their machines to their own personal preferences.

In January 1917, when he took over Jasta 11 as its new commander, Richthofen celebrated by painting his Albatros red. His squadron followed suit - all painting at least part of their machines red - while reserving to their commander the distinction of an all-red machine.

Other jastas soon adopted the same fashion - until few German fighters flew entirely in the original manufacturers' finish - their fuselages in particular at least sporting their pilots' personal monogram, or perhaps his favourite colour(s) - even if the wings remained in camouflage. A squadron theme was sometimes followed, with all or most machines decorated in similar colours, or with similar motifs - but generally personal fancy seems to have been the order of the day.

More than one pilot (on both sides) recorded that the resulting contrast with the plain khaki brown of the RFC fighters was helpful to all involved in rapidly distinguishing friend from foe in the hurly burly of a dogfight. It also may well have visually aided the accreditation of air victories claimed by individual German fighter pilots.