ajmac Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) Guys, I have read many conflicting reports concerning the colour of British vehicles in North West Europe post D-Day. I presume (it would be logical) that all US manufactured vehicles arrived at the UK docks painted Olive Drab. Questions: Were they repainted in the British colour (khaki Drap?) before issue to units? Were they repainted in the British colour upon arrival in the units? Were they repainted ONLY when major work had to be done on them? Were they always left in Olive Drab? Vehicles with extensive UK modifications, i.e. Fireflys & Crabs would be painted the standard British colour before they left the factory doing the conversion....right? I'm sure the answer as always is a mix. I imagine Adrian would be the best to give first hand info as he took his M4A4 back to bare metal, thus saw each layer of original paint. Primer - OD - KD?? Edited August 5, 2009 by ajmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woa2 Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 My view is :- This is Wartime. Why bother repainting a vehicle a slightly different shade of green? Waste of manpower and resources. I have seen Jeeps with black camo, but most seem the standard Olive Green. Jeeps were only supposed to last 3 months, so why a respray? Post war I can understand a respray to clean it up after a base overhaul - is this where the confusion is? If the vehicle had to have mods (eg a Firefly) then it would need painting, so a respray is understandable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 When I cleaned my IC firefly , all the markings apeared under post war paint , USA number in Blue , In Black the T number with black MSU shipping code , Link 1 of 1 , Star on side additinal armour plate was overpainted with same shade as factory paint , with over that the T number again in white. My C15 Number 11 cab was even when I got after civy use , inside the cab and body with OD from Chev factory Outside it was painted in Brown with black wavy patern, , but this was under a bad quallity civy paint . So dessert vehicles , and brown repainted vehicles were usually only done from outside . There is a picture in the Belona series over 15CWT`s a picture from inside a body were you can see that the dessert paint has come through between the planks here and there . So these jeeps we see now and then in full desert yellow or Navy grey in and outside and chassis is nonsense in my oppinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmac Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) Thanks Maurice. In that case my Ic Firefly will be in OD, however my Ic is 35 times smaller than yours :-D (I had to come away from W&P with something and 1:1 wasn't allowed..... yet) How is yours coming along? I remember seeing some photos you posted earlier in the year, any chance of a photo update.... Edited August 5, 2009 by ajmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 It is still comming on slowly , final drive is ready to be put on , wiring is finished , dashboard completed, but too manny other projects in between , Diamond T in final stage , Had to finish 13Cab Quad for Beltring , lots of lockers on it to put all the cooking gear in. Doing 2 jeeps as well , to have transport to restaurants or shop when i we will be away with the Sherman`s . And another project is a very early Lima built Sherman for the Dutch Army. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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