Britsh jeeps

[fatalbert]

Hiya,i have in my head an idea to do a small diorama with a Lysander and a couple of vehicles,something along the lines of the departure of an SOE operative.I have ordered an ACE comand car and i have an Airfix Jeep but i am wondering on the markings that the vehicles may have had.Am thinking of a period of around 42/43 so i have a couple of questions.

1,would the Vehicles have had Stars on them.I have a feeling that in the time period am thinking of they wouldnt.

2,Would the Jeep have been in general British service in 42/43.I think it would,but am not 100% on that and also am thinking a jeep would be a bit over kill on a small diorama.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated 🙂

Neil

 

[Kingsman]

No stars.  These were only adopted for D Day in 1944.  Home Service vehicles generally did not carry the air recognition roundel either: there was no need.

 

Yes Jeeps were around in British service in 1942, more so in 43.  But the Army had priority and the RAF had little need of a 4x4, operating mostly on paved or otherwise-firm surfaces.  So I suggest that an RAF Jeep in this time period would have been unusual.

 

Ace do several period-correct softskins.  The Tilly from the Airfix ground vehicles set is another option, as indeed is the Ace Tilly.  Although that is a type less used by the RAF.  The Airfix one is more typical but the Ace Austin could be converted into a Morris which the RAF did use.

 

As for colours, by your time period the new-production base colour had changed to SCC2 brown with Dark Tarmac (blue-black) camouflage.  But many earlier vehicles were obviously still around so Green G4 over Khaki Green G3 is equally likely, perhaps more likely as the change only came in mid-42.  Plain Khaki Green 3 is also a possibility as many home service vehicles were not camouflaged.  If you do use a Jeep that would be plain Olive Drab No9.

[Selwyn]

19 hours ago, fatalbert said:

Hiya,i have in my head an idea to do a small diorama with a Lysander and a couple of vehicles,something along the lines of the departure of an SOE operative.I have ordered an ACE comand car and i have an Airfix Jeep but i am wondering on the markings that the vehicles may have had.Am thinking of a period of around 42/43 so i have a couple of questions.

1,would the Vehicles have had Stars on them.I have a feeling that in the time period am thinking of they wouldnt.

2,Would the Jeep have been in general British service in 42/43.I think it would,but am not 100% on that and also am thinking a jeep would be a bit over kill on a small diorama.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated 🙂

Neil

 

A SOE operative would most likely arrive at the airfield in a staff car, usually black in colour.

 

Selwyn

[Kingsman]

14 minutes ago, Selwyn said:

A SOE operative would most likely arrive at the airfield in a staff car, usually black in colour.

Not necessarily.  A military staff car is equally likely.  A constant stream of black staff cars to and from a military airfield would have been an OPSEC giveaway.  And a civilian vehicle might not have been allowed "air side", although those sorts of rules were a lot less stringent back then.

 

The aircrew would arrive in an RAF vehicle and there might be supply containers to be attached to the aircraft.  Maintenence personnel might be there too, notably the aircraft's lead mechanic.  Armourers if there were containers.  There would probably be a portable fire trolley nearby, possibly a trolley accumulator to save the aircraft's batteries for later.  So there would potentially be 2 or 3 vehicles nearby and half a dozen or so people.

[modelldoc]

A Willys is possible, found one in Malta.

 

  http://www.ewillys.com/2010/08/26/malta-national-war-museum-eisenhowers-jeep-husky/

 

For myself I build one here, inspiration comes from the cover "Historic Military Vehicles Directory from Bart Vanderveen published by Wheels & Tracks

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/27906814633/in/photolist-Jw2HJr-Hb3qLg-y7YaZA-2jP8S6Q-2jJ6kTD-S9nCz7-NarPW4-FhG8Tj-vZQMND-9kG7ni

 

modelldoc

[Selwyn]

2 hours ago, Das Abteilung said:

Not necessarily.  A military staff car is equally likely.  A constant stream of black staff cars to and from a military airfield would have been an OPSEC giveaway.  And a civilian vehicle might not have been allowed "air side", although those sorts of rules were a lot less stringent back then.

 

The aircrew would arrive in an RAF vehicle and there might be supply containers to be attached to the aircraft.  Maintenence personnel might be there too, notably the aircraft's lead mechanic.  Armourers if there were containers.  There would probably be a portable fire trolley nearby, possibly a trolley accumulator to save the aircraft's batteries for later.  So there would potentially be 2 or 3 vehicles nearby and half a dozen or so people.

Military staff cars were black in WW2 not neccesarily camoflaged.

 

Selwyn

[fatalbert]

Thanks everyone,much appreciated 🙂