Indian Army vehicles in Indian in WW2

[LarryH57]

I came across these colour photos while researching the RAF Regiment in Burma. Interestingly the locally bodied Canadian Chevrolet trucks are painted in desert sand but then again that would not be out of place in India!

Edited May 19, 2017 by LarryH57

[LarryH57]

More photos; the last is of a Leyland Retriever (?) which by contrast is in a green colour and has a British Army Registration. On the same photo far left is a CMP 3 tonner that looks to have a two colour camo scheme.

Edited May 19, 2017 by LarryH57

[CMP-Phil]

Hi Larry

 

The photos are very interesting, thanks for sharing color photos taken in Theater of War are not as common.

 

There may be another reason for them to be painted sand instead of OD, heat absorbed from the sun. I have three CMPs two painted sand and one painted OD. Set them out in the sun on a sunny day in July even here in New Hampshire and the sand colored one will be 25/13 F/C Degrees different. OD is 143 F or 61 C and the stone color is 118 F or 48 C. This means when you are halted sitting in the truck with the cab top inches above your head the temperature difference is very noticeable.

 

I have no doubt that the color selection of the trucks in your pictures was not made with driver comfort in mind, more likely where they were destined at the time they were built, which might have been North Africa.

 

Strangely I have tried the same experiment with an IR gun to measure temp on quite a few Military Vehicles and discovered that when the trucks are camo pattern they tend to take on the average temperature of the darkest color in the pattern. Will dig out photos of the test if anybody is interested.

 

Cheers Phil

[Kufra Kiwi]

In the first photo the spare tyre is diamond tread sand-pattern.

[Enigma]

 

Strangely I have tried the same experiment with an IR gun to measure temp on quite a few Military Vehicles and discovered that when the trucks are camo pattern they tend to take on the average temperature of the darkest color in the pattern. Will dig out photos of the test if anybody is interested.

 

Cheers Phil

 

Do post them, sounds interesting.

[LarryH57]

On the Leyland Retriever I the last photo I wonder what the white circle marking is; a faded Bridging plate?

[Richard Farrant]

On the Leyland Retriever I the last photo I wonder what the white circle marking is; a faded Bridging plate?

 

I would say the photo is possibly a black & white and has been coloured. The grass looks too green. Whoever done it may not have known the plate should be yellow.

[LarryH57]

More colour photos from India including an unknown USAAF Fighter Sqn flying P-40 aircraft. The Jeep photo is interesting perhaps to modellers in that it is covered in dust but the mud on the wheels is as black as the rubber. As for the last photo showing a Dodge, it is on the airstrip but doesn't appear to be in use as an ambulance.

Edited May 22, 2017 by LarryH57

[goanna]

I would say the photo is possibly a black & white and has been coloured. The grass looks too green. Whoever done it may not have known the plate should be yellow.

 

The pics look like genuine kodachrome film stock . Its a tropical climate and the grass looks natural to me. re: the bridge plates - maybe they didn't have any chrome yellow paint !

[Enigma]

The Jeep doesn't seem to have any markings at all.

[Chris Hall]

Interestingly 112sqn RAF had a P40 named Jinx, coincidence??

[LarryH57]

I know in the USAAF that some aircraft passed to other units retained their names, so perhaps this P-40 was passed on to 112 Sqn in the Med.