Info needed: correct colours for WWII Aust vehicles

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Has Tony been searching the NAA web site ?

Not lately Mike. I downloaded some files after Gina posted the links here, but that was over two years ago. I’ve studied them over time so I’m quite familiar with most of them.

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I have . This late 1942 document is revealing to say the least .

Yes it’s in one of the files I downloaded. It may be one that Gina arranged to have scanned. The minutes of the paint meeting make for interesting reading.

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

In effect ,the paint manufacturers are saying to the Govt. Even if we share our paint formulas , there is no guarantee the outcome will be a standard colour

Well, the colour must be correct when supplied, ie. match the colour chip held by purchasing authorities, otherwise it would be rejected. That’s all we’re interested in here – the INITIAL colour applied to the vehicle. Obviously there were problems with fading, which are well documented, eg. following comments from HQ First Army in late ‘42:

“None of the camflg paints used have been found durable, regardless of the make. All colours fade in 6 months, some fade in 4 weeks. The quality of the paints is in fact so poor that from a concealment point of view it would be better if the vehs were left the original khaki green as they come from the factory.”

That’s why Army sought to have camo applied during production, using their own military spec paint, ie. Dulux 21-line alkyd enamel. DHS spec was worthless, as the meeting clearly shows, and Dakin’s postwar report records:

“Copies of the original Australian paint specifications are appended. They proved almost useless in practice. A revision of the Flat Oil Paint specification in February, 1943 should indicate the difficulties of achieving satisfactory results under the first specifications.”

Also:

“An account has already been given of the meetings in Sydney and Melbourne which led to the issue of Colour Standards and Specifications. The colour Standards remained as permanent features of value, but the Specifications turned out to be almost useless. It was found that even keeping within the specifications the quality of the paint made by different firms varied exceedingly.”

In view of our present quest I find Dakin’s words quite prophetic: “The colour Standards remained as permanent features of value.”

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I hope the link works .

Yep, worked for me.