I have begun my carrier's transformation

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jon Bradshaw

Hanno, thanks for the info on the color. I looked at the link you posted to the Netherlands East Indies photos. They all seem to be in a solid color, not camouflage. Except the one restored picture from the Bovington tank museum.
I agree many countries including the East Indies and Greece got a few into the front lines in time to lose them to the Germans or Japanese. Latvia got the gun mounted ones as well but lost them to the Russians. The only intact, surviving evidence of a 2pdr armed one I can find is the one captured in Latvia to be displayed Moscow, currently in Kubinka museum. I have photos of it from there in both camo and solid green. There are also a few combat photos of them in the field prior to being destroyed.
Attached is the only color photo I can find of the 2pdr mounted tank in Latvian hands before the Russians invaded. I think I will do a solid green all over, and then when I get time I will add the camo to it.

Jon,

Like I said, the Vickers camouflage scheme as seen on Bovington's Dutchman was - as far as I can tell - Vicker's own to make their products attractive to potential buyers. It does seem the Latvians copied it on their tanks, so if you are replicating the Latvian version you would have to get creative with brushes one day. Starting of with a base green would be a good idea, though..

For your information, the vehicles used by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) vehicles were in a single green colour. This was called "camouflage green" and research proved it was practically the same as the current Federal Standard 595 Color FS 34102. Dutchman tanks in use for training British troops were a single green colour as well, most likely the one ordered by the KNIL.

Actually, if you look at this blog on interwar tank development by Vickers Armstrong Ltd most tracked vehicles shown on there are in a single green colour. I could only find one camouflaged vehicle, a tractor truck for China.

HTH,
Hanno