I know what you mean, there has been quite a bit of information come out recently that has changed what we thought was correct especially when it come to German armour. 2 that stick in my mind are the info on the 251/3 and the debate over the correct paint schemes of German armour during the 1940 campaign. But this all seems to be based on evidence that has come to light, or maybe others did not check.
But then i have to wounder. Will someone come along in 20 years with new evidence that says somthing different.
But those Pz Colours books are very handy, and ye, my ain’t in very good condition either, i think most of the pages have come lose.
What is interseting there is in the “correction” on the monotone gray vs brown and gray camo, the information is there in Panzer Colors I with the memorandum numbers and dates. The big shift in debate seems to be in photos now being able to be manipulated via computer programs by anyone with a computer and the skill and software to do so in order to now show the contrast that was not possible before. When those books were written, only those with access to archived original photos and negatives could access that material and say with any authority what was so. It is nice to learn when new documentation is uncovered, but photo interpretation still remains part art as much as science, even with all the new voodoo magic computer capabilities. I have no doubt that 20 years from now, new material will come to light.
That is very true when you mention computers. And i think that raises a concern, at least for me. If you can manipulate photos to show the colours, then in theory you can manipulate them to show what you want.
So its still improrant to cross check any info you get.
I agree, they are great references for the moderately interested modelers. Expert panzer modelers probably have more in depth research literature, but I find these things to be the first item I turn to when I get the “panzer bug” (suffering from it now).
I thought they were being sold by Squadron within the past 10 years. The copies I have are dated 1976 (vol 1), 1984 (vol 2) and 1978 (vol 3). There’s a set of all three on eBay for $15 + shipping right now.