iang Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I've finally found a photo showing the Willys Jeeps embarked on Formidable as deck tractors for operations off Japan. These were either taken on charge at Sydney or Manus in June 1945. My question is what colour are they? Olive Drab or have they been repainted blue. The three wheel deck tractors parked above the Jeeps are medium blue (there is an colour IWM photo from summer 1944). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 In the absence of a colour photo which gives a definitive answer I'd go for OD. They would have left the factory in OD and I can't imagine that the Navy would have repainted vehicles which were virtually new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Just a thought, if they are British jeeps, would they not possibly be Dark Green instead of the US Olive Drab? thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz greenwood Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 No anything supplied from the US to us under Lend-Lease would have been in US colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfqweofekwpeweiop4 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thats fair enough, what about stuff like Sherman Firefly's? Would they have been OD or were they repainted in Dark Green following their modifications? thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 They were so extensively modified that they would most likely have been repainted overall. They would have been repainted in British OD, not dark green. British OD is different to American OD. Very early conversions were probably painted in Special Camouflage Colour No2, which is a brown colour. There's a lot of discussion on this topic on other forums. For a good summary of British AFV colours, see http://www.mafva.net/other%20pages/Starmer%20camo.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Fireflies would have been repainted. Generally. Although OD is the likeliest colour for the jeeps, if obtained from USN sources they may be in other colours: Ocean Gray being perhaps the likeliest. (Note: that's USN Ocean Gray not RAF Ocean Grey.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Ramsden Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 (edited) Although OD is the likeliest colour for the jeeps, if obtained from USN sources they may be in other colours: Ocean Gray being perhaps the likeliest. (Note: that's USN Ocean Gray not RAF Ocean Grey.) I'm not familiar with USN colour names but I'm fairly sure that the grey used on USN Jeeps was a light grey, not far off Medium Sea Grey in shade. It would appear much lighter than the colour of those in the photo. There a good photo of a RN Jeep here: http://www.life.com/image/50481551 it doesn't help identify the colour though. Edited March 19, 2011 by Ivor Ramsden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanguin Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I'm not familiar with USN colour names but I'm fairly sure that the grey used on USN Jeeps was a light grey, not far off Medium Sea Grey in shade. It would appear much lighter than the colour of those in the photo.There a good photo of a RN Jeep here: http://www.life.com/image/50481551 it doesn't help identify the colour though. Dear Ivor, Just out of interest, the Missing Lynx site has a short thread on that particular jeep: http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/threa...Royal+Navy+Jeep Just to prove that it's not only we aircraft enthusiasts that notice the details..... The flight deck photo seems to suggest that the jeep bonnets were perhaps painted in a much lighter colour, as are seemingly the tops of the vehicles behind them. The colour seems to be consistent on flat the top surfaces of all of them, so I don't think it is glare. The colour of the bridge and visible superstructure is presumably a lightish grey and the lower parts of the jeeps certainly seem a lot darker in tone. As to OD or blue, it is open to conjecture. Knowing the military penchant for zealously painting and identifying their own property, I'd opt for the blue.... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prop Duster Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Dear Ivor,...The flight deck photo seems to suggest that the jeep bonnets were perhaps painted in a much lighter colour, as are seemingly the tops of the vehicles behind them. The colour seems to be consistent on flat the top surfaces of all of them, so I don't think it is glare. The colour of the bridge and visible superstructure is presumably a lightish grey and the lower parts of the jeeps certainly seem a lot darker in tone. As to OD or blue, it is open to conjecture. Knowing the military penchant for zealously painting and identifying their own property, I'd opt for the blue....John iang, I would agree with John. If the Jeeps were assigned to the ship then I can only image that they would have been re painted a RN color, as no self respecting Naval vessal is going to allow Army colors on board-unless being transported. Just my opinion, but in my experance with the military, painting/repainting was a normal part of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iang Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 iang, I would agree with John. If the Jeeps were assigned to the ship then I can only image that they would have been re painted a RN color, as no self respecting Naval vessal is going to allow Army colors on board-unless being transported. Just my opinion, but in my experance with the military, painting/repainting was a normal part of life. Many thanks for all your replies. My view tends toward re-painting in blue too. The 1841 Squadron Diary makes mention of the Jeeps, but says nothing about how they were painted. However, from this diary, it is clear that both 1841 and 1842 Squadron were fastidious about the appearance of their Corsair IVs (as well as their serviceability and performance). They were regularly polished and there was clearly some inter-ship rivalry about how "smart" they looked in comparison with Illustrious’ and Victorious' "clapped-out" old Corsair IIs. Much time was spent by some pilots personalising their Corsair IVs with motifs and names (some specific aircraft are mentioned, though I've yet to find a clear photograph of any of them). All of this adds to my feeling that OD Jeeps wouldn't have been tolerated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 Can you post this Jeep image again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 I don`t know if these help in any way,..... but here is a DUKW operated by HMS Implacible which looks to be repainted grey to me?; Cheers Tony 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaddad Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 20 minutes ago, tonyot said: Cheers Tony What a diorama that would be! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Haha indeed. I’d love to model a jeep with my FAA collection, @iang would you mind reposting it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 22 minutes ago, 85sqn said: Haha indeed. I’d love to model a jeep with my FAA collection, @iang would you mind reposting it? So Nick, a Jeep towing a bulled up Corsair IV on board HMS Formidable next to an Elephant towing a knackered Corsair II at HMS Bambara (RNAS Trincomalee) - could make interesting comparison standing side by side... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Haha yes indeed! I managed to buy an elephant fairly recently from a local toy shop that looks roughly 1/48, I think its even an asian one too! Fifi the elephant was Puttalam based, I just read a FAA pilots account of his time out in the Fleet fighter pool. The book was called ‘Oops’ and relayed a story where Fifi was tasked to pull a corsair out of some soft ground and back onto the runway. A well dressed officer was standing to the rear of said elephant. As she strained to pull the corsair, her bowels relaxed and....... all over the officer! Now that would be a diorama! 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 There is a 1/48 elephant now! https://www.super-hobby.com/products/WWII-RAF-Mechanic-in-India-Elephant-with-Mahout.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 2 hours ago, Scooby said: There is a 1/48 elephant now! https://www.super-hobby.com/products/WWII-RAF-Mechanic-in-India-Elephant-with-Mahout.html That is incredible, its clearly meant for the Puttalam elephants! Amazing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_hase Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 in 1/72nd as well: https://www.cmkkits.com/en/figures/129-f72327/ CMK/Special-Hobby from the Czech Republic are doing these resin-cast kits Cheers Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iang Posted March 5, 2019 Author Share Posted March 5, 2019 On 03/03/2019 at 17:50, Scooby said: Can you post this Jeep image again? I've searched for the digital version without success. I have the original in a photo album compiled by a crew member, but all my photos are packed away at the moment and I can't get at them. I'll repost when I can - probably after Easter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85sqn Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Hi Ian, no problem, was it something like this, from Life Magazine: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 On 3/4/2019 at 12:48 AM, tonyot said: I don`t know if these help in any way,..... but here is a DUKW operated by HMS Implacible which looks to be repainted grey to me?; Cheers Tony That's interesting, can go alongside the Army, RM and RAF Dukws! There is a book to be written on British use of the DUKW, that one is slightly intruiging as it looks darker than the standard RASC/RM grey they were painted in. Do you have a date/location? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 14 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said: That's interesting, can go alongside the Army, RM and RAF Dukws! There is a book to be written on British use of the DUKW, that one is slightly intruiging as it looks darker than the standard RASC/RM grey they were painted in. Do you have a date/location? 1945-46 mate,.......BPF based in Australia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 (edited) There is evidence that RN DUKWs at D-Day were painted in a grey blue colour. I wonder if they were regarded as 'ships/boats' rather than vehicles?https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/rn-dukw-colours-t94798.html and the war artist painted them grey https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/3288 PS when filing it I discovered that I already had the first pic! The mind is going........ Edited March 7, 2019 by Dave Fleming 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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