British Tank Interiors WW2

[Hawk]

I was informed (and still believe) some time ago that British built tank interiors - Cromwell/Churchill etc. were a silver/aluminuium colour.

 

Someone else on another forum says it can be white too, does anyone know for sure?

 

Cheers,

 

Luke

[Adrian Barrell]

Originally silver but a shortage of the aluminium pigments, for it was a special paint with high metal content, led to using white for a short time before returning to silver.

 

There seems to be some uncertainty as to when the changes took place and how widespread it was but from my observations of original vehicles that have not been painted post war, I would think 1941-1942 may be white and other periods silver.

 

Certainly silver had come back by 1944.

[Hawk]

Thanks Adrian

 

, read that during the North African campaign tank interiors were painted white, so that timeframe fits.

[Adrian Barrell]

Of course there was a large influx of American built tanks into the British Army during the desert war all of which had white interiors so that may be what was being referred to.