British tanks internal colouring

[Derek Attree]

Hi Guys
So here is a question I know the hull of British tanks
was silver inside but what was the inside of the turret ?
Was that silver as well or some other shade?

I am hoping to get some coats on my Comet tomorrow...if the sun stays out..

Thanks

Derek

[Will Roberts]

Hello Derek,

By the time the comet was produced turret interiors were Gloss White.

Here is a thread in which Mike Starmer has comments and he is the authority on this subject.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/th ... tish+tanks...

Kind regards,

Will.

[Stephen White]

Derek

All the evidence I've seen suggests silver for Comet interiors. I agree with Will that Mike Starmer is one of the foremost authorities on AFV colour but Dick Taylor is also worth talking to (having written on Comet). I've got some photos of the wartime Leyland production line and although I'd be quick to recognise the difficulty of identifying a colour from monochrome, it certainly doesn't look as though the interiors were bright enough for the paint to be white. It's worth reflecting that there were a large number of US produced AFVs in service particularly in the last year of the war. White was (and is) a much more usual colour (color?) for AFV interiors in US service so both silver and white would have been in British Army service at the same time.

All the above applies to wartime Comets. From 1947 onwards, as Deep Bronze Green was introduced, silver became the standard colour anyway.

Over the weekend, I'll look out some more references if I have them.

Looking forward to seeing your progress - my Comet sits reproachfully on the bench but it will see the light of day sometime, after the Cent.

All the best

Stephen

[Derek Attree]

Hi Guys
Thanks for the replies I must say all the photos I have of Comets
are silver inside but as most of these are of refurbished Comets
I did wonder.
Mine is modeled on a late 1944 early 1945 version so it is not Bronze green.

I am thinking Silver is the way to go as this is the colour in the walk round book by Dick Hughs

Tomorrow I am getting on with the Green coats for the inner hull & suspension and outer side plates so I can get this all back together.
If I have time and the weather holds I will then do the decks and the turret.
Then on to the wheels and all the running gear componets. Followed by the mud guards and all the small detail parts....

This will be followed by a couple of Pints of old speckled hen

Regards

Derek