Vickers Medium Tank- WW2 Desert Scheme?

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

               I`d like to build this old inter war Vickers Medium tank in what I believe is an early WW2 desert scheme, possibly used for training or local defence duties.... but has anybody any idea of where, when, the unit and most importantly what the colour scheme was?

 

I know that some were used in defence of the Siwa Oasis in 1941, but mostly as dug in bunkers and the pic that I have seen seems to show a lighter Portland Stone colour!

 

If anybody can please help that would be great,

Cheers

        Tony

Edited August 18, 2017 by tonyot

[JackG]

I believe the subject was addressed by Mike Starmer in these threads:

 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1343562172

 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1364291866

 

regards,

Jack

 

 

[tonyot]

Thanks Jack,

                   It is hard to tell whether they are talking about the same pic as the pics on those links are not available,..... but all interesting stuff. The pre war cream/Brick Red 6 RTC tanks are another one of my options, as are the Kufra three,.... but the talk of an Aussie marked one in Tobruk is new to me,.... sounds interesting too,

All the best

               Tony

[Kingsman]

I've just got Mike Starmer's books yesterday.  It mentions the Vickers Mediums, and some RR armoured cars, as being Cream and Brick Red pre-war as you mention above.  This was in the time before any real standardisation.  If they were repainted, Light Stone would be most likely.  Portland Stone was accepted as a substitute somewhat later.

 

Is that wear-through of an original darker colour between the 1st and 2nd guys from the left and towards the rear, or is it spillage of something staining?

 

What's on the muzzle in the photo?  The 3pdr had a plain muzzle, but this one seems to have a collar just short of the muzzle.  Or is it just a muzzle cover.

 

From the shadows at left this one looks as if it might be in a hull-down position behind a berm or in a wadi, so this could be Siwa.  And looks like it's about to throw the left track - having already thrown the right one.  There's something odd about the armour joins on the turret: they look far too gappy around the roof join and behind the guy's elbow.  Judging from the rearmost guy lounging on the trackguard the Vickers gun isn't mounted on this side.

 

Being a bit dense it took me until last weekend to realise that the large boxes on the front trackguards are headlight blackout hoods.  Over-engineered solution?