Info needed: correct colours for WWII Aust vehicles

[Mrs Vampire]

Mike

The problems with the paint from Melbourne are mentioned in Dakins notes as well as a few other places.

I have all the files put on line and I think the links are in this thread. I especially paid to have the Dakin file in Sydney put on line as it contains his original hand written drafts. corrections and editing. Some of the stuff he decided to leave out of the final draft makes for interesting reading.

The file also contained the photos that accompanied the final version but not the pamphlets or the orders as held by the AWM. The orders are likewise very interesting reading.

My understanding was that prewar the vehicles were painted deep bronze green 24 as per the British army. Having seen Mike Starmers sample it seems very very dark indeed.
The photos of Carriers and the Mk VI Vickers seem to have them in a very dark green but Mikes looks a lot darker than even them ...almost black...his notes indicate I would be surprised if the mixing formula was followed and he was right. I was.
I had thought my Stuart was exported in that colour as it was made and exported under a British lend lease contract.Photos of M3A1 ariving in Australia show a very dark all over base colour.

The base colour of My Stuart is not American OD of any shade, Nor is it KG3 Australian or British and it is defiantly not s dark as Mike S' sample of DBG24 ,

My feeling at present is that it is an ACF version of British Camo green ...in a similar way to the Aircraft from the US being exported to British lend lease in Camo Colours of their own invention ( Curtis and Lockheed for instance )

[Mike K]

There must have been many items apart from vehicles, painted in KG3 ?

This is a WW2 era Aust. made capacity meter . The front panel is a different colour than the box ???????? My guess is, a different manufacturer made the case . This item has never been repainted , I can guarantee that.

I have opened many WW2 Aust. wireless sets and the internals are generally clean and the paint is pristine . Mike

[Mike Cecil]

"My feeling at present is that it is an ACF version of British Camo green ...in a similar way to the Aircraft from the US being exported to British lend lease in Camo Colours of their own invention ( Curtis and Lockheed for instance )"

Yes, I think you are most probably right in that conclusion, particularly given the extent to which you have researched the subject.(I think we have all been pretty impressed with that!!)

I wasn't doubting that Dakin made comments about fading of KG-J: but I couldn't comment or add to that, as I hadn't seen those notes, only the one I had about KG-3, which I threw into the mutual information 'mix'.

I haven't spent a lot of time tracing cammo this last year - been a bit preoccupied finishing 'Leopard AS1' and 'Pioneers of Australian Armour'.

PM seen and answered: sample chips packed.

Regards

Mike