AEC Mk.II Armoured Car Queries- interior colour etc?

[tonyot]

Hello Folks,

Having wanted a later variant AEC Armoured Car for a long time I bought the new 1/35th scale MiniArt AEC Mk.II kit today but I have a few queries which I hope that somebody can answer?

Does anybody know;

1-What colour the interior would be painted?

2- Did any of the Mk.II`s make it into the NW/ Europe theatre or was this just the 75mm gun armed AEC Mk.III?

3- Apart from the Indian`s, did any other Commonwealth formations use the AEC. Mk.II in Italy?

Thanks in advance,

All the best

Tony O

[Graeme]

Interior would be white if built after early 1942 - aluminium was kept for aircraft production

[Smudger2]

Hi,

The AEC MKII had two gun variations,they had the 6 pounder 57mm guns and the 75mm guns,just like the mkIII ,so i would imagine they all served to Northwest Europe,if my memory serves me correctly they were used in the peace keeping role in germany after the wars end,suggesting that they served there upto this date.

Regards Rob

[Niall]

One thing about the interior colour, the inside of the hatches were the same colour as the exterior of the vehicle.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

We gave 24 AEC Mk.IIs to Tito's Partisans in mid 1944.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Sgt.Squarehead

[tonyot]

Thanks everybody, your info is much appreciated,

Cheers

Tony O

[Shar2]

I've been doing a fair bit of research for the forthcoming review of this kit, and I would have said aluminium for the interior, bar the hatches as mentioned above.

[tonyot]

Thanks SHAR2,

My initial leaning was towards Aluminium for all British Armour before the 1970`s until I was told that this was retained for aircraft during part of the war and that the American practice of using White was used at this time instead,....now I`m just as confused as when I posted the original query!

I remember having silver paint impregnated into my skin (especially the crown of my head,...ouch!), para smock and combats during my time working on AFV 432`s in the 1990`s, so maybe I`m just prejudiced towards this colour?

Oh I`m very confused,

Thanks very much for your input though, all food for thought,

All the best,

Tony O

Edited July 23, 2013 by tonyot

[AngloSaxon]

Interiors, AFVs:

Till mid-1940 Aluminium (silver).

...

From mid-1940 there was a gradual replacement with gloss white.

...

Interiors, Other vehicles:

Generally all other vehicles had components, cab and body interiors in the external basic colour. This also included the interior surfaces of AFV hatches and engine flaps that would be exposed when opened. The exception is when certain components were required to be in a specific other colour. The interiors of closed office body vehicles were usually, wholly or in part, gloss Pale Cream. Ambulance body interiors were gloss white but often the interior of rear door surfaces were in the basic camouflage colour.

Taken from here: http://www.mafva.net

Although it doesn't say on that page, I'm sure that I read somewhere that it reverted back to aluminium (silver) after the war when supplies were more plentiful again.

Mike D.

[DavidJ]

The AEC Mk IIIs were used as mobile artillery providing fire support by the armoured car regiments in NW Europe (some regiments used 75mm GMC halftracks in this role) so the 75mm guns firing HE were vital. The AEC Mk II was armed with the 6pdr with its relatively poor performing HE round and wasn't suitable for the fire support role. The only AEC Mk IIs to see European service were those used Tito's Partisans (as Sgt Squarehead mentioned), as well as those in Sicily and Italy. I haven't got a lot of information about the Italian campaign and can't help with AEC users.

Interestingly, 67 AEC Mk IIs were held in 21 Army Group base depots on 30 June 1945, along with 60 Mk IIIs. Only 22 Mk IIIs were allocated to front line units at that date. Sixteen AEC Mk IIIs were in use in June 1944 with 9 in reserve (compared to 198 Daimler ACs, 297 Humber Mk IV ACs and 159 Staghounds) so they were never plentiful.

I think the interior colour question has been answered and I agree that AEC Mks II and III would have white interiors.

Cheers

David

Edited August 19, 2013 by DavidJ

[foxy]

Quite simple Tony.

Wartime White/cream.

Peace time Silver.

Exposed as all have said.

Job done.

Cheers foxy

[Shermaniac]

Weren't a few used by the Lebanese in the early days of the formation of the Israeli State?

[DavidJ]

Weren't a few used by the Lebanese in the early days of the formation of the Israeli State?

I'm not sure about AECs but Lebanon had Staghounds with AEC Mk III turrets.