question Re-painting truck in British Army Camo

[wetandmuddy]

Hello Folks,

 

I hope that someone can help me with some basic advice about repainting an RB44 which is presently in single colour desert paint.

 

I'm thinking about re-painting the truck to restore it to how it originally was. It's pretty clear that under the desert sand colour the vehicle was originally drab green and matt black (just 2 colours? I can't be sure, there may be a third - unless it's just variability in the green that they used). You can actually see the outline of the patterns in the original 'camo' paint.

 

Incidentally, I've only ever seen one other RB44 in anything but a single colour (green or sand) - so is this 'camo' version that I have unusual?

 

Anyway, my specific questions are very basic:

 

1. Is there an actual definition of what comprises British Army green-based camouflage painting (how many colours are used, what colours are they,...)?

 

2. What paints do I use (what type of paint are they, where do I get them from...)?

 

3. What prep do I need to do to the existing paintwork (do I just lightly flat it down - it's already matt of course, or do I need some sort of priming...)?

 

4. I assume that I brush paint it (although the finish on the original green / black looks like it was sprayed) is that right?

 

5. Are there any guidelines for the camo patterns or the balance of each colour to include in the patterns, or is it all just rack of eye?

 

6. What else do I need to know??!!

 

I seem to be an expert at asking numpty questions... Hope you don't mind!

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew.

[sirhc]

Andrew,

 

There are loads of green and black RB44s around. You should use NATO green and black, Matt or satin finish depending on your preference. Look on milweb for suppliers. It should be roughly 2/3 green and 1/3 black. If you can uncover an old pattern then just follow that, otherwise you can make it up as that's all the guys who painted it before would have done.

 

Chris

[arcot1751]

Hi Andrew, Unsure if this helps but during my time with the army (70's-80's) I painted many vehicles mostly by brush, obviously the higher ranks personal vehicles were finished a little more carefully but basically we did a rough mask up and rub down and slapped it on We did spray some vehicles though but again we didn't go over the top with preparation the beauty of MOD paint was its ability to cover a multitude of sins. We only used the two colours on standard camo and we were pretty much left to our own devices when it came to pattern. My "green" obsession continues to this day and over the years I have painted my lightweight and series 3 numerous times using the same principle. These were workhorses not show ponies after all and most had an extremely hard life the paint as with everything had to be " squaddie proof " ! Ceremonial vehicles were treated differently and usually had a very pampered life with spray jobs and lots of bull. Marcus Glenn sells MOD quality paint and his advert is easily found on MILWEB. One thing years ago the correct black seemed to be extremely hard to come by and I found that blackboard paint (B&Q) was a good substitute.

[ruxy]

ISTR - you aim to get some black at the corners.

 

You could use the DP that is used in Cyprus and North America training area , Wainright + Suffield , also UK. Sand with Nato Green.

 

The only other British DP , is in fact 3 colour "winterized" , the NG that would be 2/3 is whitened with artic white by 50% (often emulsion) - so 1/3 , 1/3 , 1/3

 

 

IMHO a RB looks best 100% NG.

[wetandmuddy]

Many thanks for the replies. So it's time to get the paint brushes out! ...just can't decide what to tell me wife, since I've always said that I hate decorating!! :laugh:

[Cornishbloke]

Hi

 

I have an RB44 which never seems to have had black applied. Having said that I spoke to an ex artilleryman who said that they arrived green and the black was applied at unit level. It must depend on what that particular unit had as a policy.

 

In terms of where the lines went, a friend used to paint vehicles for Alvis and his advice was to be bold and make sure that the black wasn't too "fiddly". It is better to have one thick patch rather than a couple of thinner stripes. He also used to work in opposites, so that if the front N/side was painted black then the rear O/side would be but the front O/side and rear N/side would be green. He did the Scorp for me and it looked perfect. Interestingly the Alvis policy was to fit all pioneer tools, brackets, jerricans etc. and spray the lot in situ.

 

As for the ceremonial vehicles, he was at Windsor whilst they were preparing for a Royal visit. The gate guard ( a Saladin I think) was attacked by two or three soldiers with a 5 litre tin of paint and some two inch brushes. They painted rust, moss, the lot in about half an hour. From about thirty feet it was acceptable.

 

Finally I was at a parade in Weymouth some years back and there was a Lightweight that had been restored. It was immaculate - red wheel nuts, white wheel nuts, sprayed camouflage - a really nice job. Parked next to it was an in service Parachute Regiment 109 which towed their display trailer. This thing looked as if it had been dragged from a hedge - flaking paint at least an eighth thick, black peering through the faded green, digs and dents and a couple of pop riveted patches over the worst.

 

Just shows - best advice is to do what you think is right. It's a broad spectrum and no-one will really be able to tell you it's not correct anyway!

[wetandmuddy]

Ha! Thanks Cornishbloke, I like it. Opposite corners it is then. I'll settle for 'looks ok from 30 feet' too. I think I may have been overanalysing the situation!!

 

 

Hi

 

I have an RB44 which never seems to have had black applied. Having said that I spoke to an ex artilleryman who said that they arrived green and the black was applied at unit level. It must depend on what that particular unit had as a policy.

 

In terms of where the lines went, a friend used to paint vehicles for Alvis and his advice was to be bold and make sure that the black wasn't too "fiddly". It is better to have one thick patch rather than a couple of thinner stripes. He also used to work in opposites, so that if the front N/side was painted black then the rear O/side would be but the front O/side and rear N/side would be green. He did the Scorp for me and it looked perfect. Interestingly the Alvis policy was to fit all pioneer tools, brackets, jerricans etc. and spray the lot in situ.

 

As for the ceremonial vehicles, he was at Windsor whilst they were preparing for a Royal visit. The gate guard ( a Saladin I think) was attacked by two or three soldiers with a 5 litre tin of paint and some two inch brushes. They painted rust, moss, the lot in about half an hour. From about thirty feet it was acceptable.

 

Finally I was at a parade in Weymouth some years back and there was a Lightweight that had been restored. It was immaculate - red wheel nuts, white wheel nuts, sprayed camouflage - a really nice job. Parked next to it was an in service Parachute Regiment 109 which towed their display trailer. This thing looked as if it had been dragged from a hedge - flaking paint at least an eighth thick, black peering through the faded green, digs and dents and a couple of pop riveted patches over the worst.

 

Just shows - best advice is to do what you think is right. It's a broad spectrum and no-one will really be able to tell you it's not correct anyway!

[Cornishbloke]

I work on thirty miles an hour going past in the dark! I see yours is a box body like mine, and I haven't seen any photos of that variant having black applied. I don't know why, maybe they just didn't take photos of them. You do see MKs with workshop bodies and two colours, so again it might be down to the unit. It's the same with small trailers and ground equipment - sometimes they are left green others they are disrupted.

 

Just go with the flow - use and add to the natural shadows (wheel arches and the gap between cab and body) and bear in mind that the idea is just to break up the straight lines. Camouflage is a massive subject all on its own, you only have to look around the world at different countries' interpretation to see how many ideas there are. Have a look on the net for pictures that might help. I can only think of two rules - keep a wheel the same colour and don't make the vehicle look like a tiger.

 

Look forward to a picture of the finished vehicle.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[gazzaw]

when we cammed them at unit level with a spray gun we never wasted time masking up we applied hand cleaner liberally all over glass bits and lenses etc then sprayed away, once finished and dry - power wash glass etc and it all came away nicely

[Tony B]

There was an Artic White and Black 88 around here a while back. That camo was so effectivley you had a job seeing the thing on a sunny day! I did once park a NATO green Landy in a feild against gorse on a dark night. Found the bloody thing by walking into it! :blush:

[Tiffy_massive]

As everyone has said, vehicles were painted by the blokes so no great science was ever put into the patterns. I did once get a boll**ing for painting the wheels of my tracked Veh in both black and green as i thought it looked good. Wheels should be one colour or the other. We were always told to make sure the corners were black but he majority of the vehicle was to be green.

[redneck]

My RB was painted green and beige (no black) and I repainted it the same, with pretty much the same pattern.

[marvinthemartian]

Here's a few pics of RB44's at Withams tender, a bit rough mind. Just shows the difference in patterns.

Looking at these, then anything goes.

[Tony B]

Basic rules I was taught 1/3 and 2/3 for coulor mix, avoid straight lines, the human eye tends to look for straight lines and distintive shaped blobs of one colour, that gives a good aiming mark. Some insist the colours should Feather into one another. Easy enough with yard broom, emergency painting tool Mk 1. :-D

 

Could try this if feel adventourus. http://cdn.damninteresting.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/11/dazzle1.jpg

Edited March 13, 2014 by Tony B

[SteveJ]

My RB44 came out of the Suffield base and is in desert sand colour with black squares painted on each door. There is overspray everywere. Windshield rubber, tires and they even managed to spray the rear window of the cab. I dont mind the sand colour but the overspray is a bitch to clean up. Wish they had taken a bit more care.

Edited March 17, 2014 by SteveJ
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