Comet Decals

[phil fitzpatrick]

Showing off my Comet Decals,they are excelent quality computor cut
on vynal.
Using Stevens photobucket photo's and the Armor photogallery Book I
worked out my size's and down loaded 4 of Steves Photo's to Email to
Lee at Pyramid Models and he also did me some 9mm letters and numbers
because 12mm were the smallest on his standard vynal cut list.
They are white so you cant see them on the Photo.
Google Pyramid Models or try this Link
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/y.j/shop/index.htm


Cheers
Phil

[robert michael hilton]

Nice decals Phil, are these 'waterslide' or 'stick on'? and do you know if Pyramid Models will supply these to order, without sending a sample.
The only decal/transfer experience I have, is in using the 'Letraset' type, on my model boats.

I would guess they will make up sets, as required.

Comet identities and numbering is a whole new ball game for me, plus, we must not have all fifty Comets with the same identification, although it just might 'confuse' the Tiger and Panther owners...... ...mick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks Mick
I am doing a Comet from the 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry,11th
Armoured Division.
I was going to do SAINT PATRICK,because my Grandad was from Cork.
But I couldnt make out the Tank number,so now I am doing Tank number
T335346 called WHY WORRY ,its on page 68 in the Armor Photogallery book.
The picture shows the Comet with Infantry from the 1st Herefordshire
Regiment aswell,which is close to me.
53 is for the third senior armoured regiment.
For my Decals I chose computor cut self stick on vynal,I used them on
my Panzer and they went on to the acrylic paint surface lovely and no
cutting to do either.
He does all types if you prefer the water slide and he will know what you
mean by the letraset type.
I just visited Steve's photo bucket posting"More Comet photo's from Bovington,his second posting has got some from Duxford aswell.
I right clicked on the Photo's that I wanted with his little centimetre
checkbourd for an idea of scale.
Its difficult from photo's so I checked with the books and looking at the
proportions compared with the Tank front and at the back the smoke
dischargers and telephone box I found the aprox metric size and rounded
that to the closest Imperial whole number which was 6"x 6" for the
number and 9"x 6" for the Bull on Yellow.
That scaled to 25.4mm x 25.4mm and 36.66mm x 25.4mm.
I'm happy with that but he will do exact to your own chosen size
If you want the same as mine just mention to Lee that you would like
the same Black Bull with red bits on yellow back ground and White
number on Red background as supllied to Phil Fitzpatrick,or I can Email
the photo's that I sent to him as attatchments.
The other guys are more knowledgeable than me on the different regiments and markings,I'm learning all the time.
Cheers
Phil

[robert michael hilton]

Thanks for your reply Phil, re: the decals.

I do not have a clue regarding the types of Comet markings in use at the end of the Second World War, other than the photographs available on the internet.
So, I will have to make a decision, if my planned programme to display the tank next year, around May/June is to go ahead.

As you know I have elected to use the British Olive Drab paint scheme, ( which I am well pleased with ) therefore, and I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, the decals you have shown us, will suit my Comet. I would look to change the numbers, if only to distinguish it from other Comets.

Regarding the 'named tanks' how are these names arrived at, and what was allowed by the tank regiments?

Ok, that said, I would appreciate views of the Forum members on this subject .....mick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Mick
The 2 books that I have and keep mentioning I have found invaluable,for
detail and information to use alongside the photo's that have been taken.
Armor Photogallery British Cruiser Tank A34 Comet has loads of pictures
and information which includes about the numbering of the tanks.
So does Osprey's book Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942-50,but only has a bit
on the Comet,but gives you where they were made at what factories.
The book with the most detail is
Comet 1 Handbook Chief Inspector of Fighting Vehicles November 1945.
You will still be studying this long after the bulk of your Comet is finished
and is well worth the money.
As it says by the title it is the official handbook for the Comet and seems
as thou almost every nut and bolt is mentioned.
I would guess that a lot of the Tanks were named by the crews,although
I have found that in the 2nd Fife and Forfar which is the 3rd senior regiment in the 29th Brigade,the 4 Patron Saints of the UK were used in
Regemental Head Quarters.
I think the 23rd Hussars were the senior regement in the 29th Armoured Brigade and had number 51
The 3rd royal tank regement had number 52,as the second senior regement.
Using the internet and Google with the regement names or just Comet
Tanks within the time period you want will turn up a lot of info.
A lot seems to lead to Wikipedia which is full of it.
Hope this helps a bit for you.
It might be too late to put the books on your Christmas list if you havent
already got them,so you might have to pinch some of the house keeping
money for the good cause
Cheers
Phil

[Stephen White]

Mick

There are also a couple of very good books by Dick Taylor on British Army marking systems, which explain the significance of the various markings. The raging bull was the divisional sign of 11th Armoured Division, the only division to be equipped with Comet during the war. 29th Armoured Brigade was the only brigade to get Comet into action although you will find a tank named IRON DUKE which appears in many photos, serving with 1st Royal Tank Regiment just after the war. It was the Commanding Officer's tank and has some quite attractive markings. The Bronco kit of the Comet shows this set of markings.

I can't speak for the two cavalry regiments but the tank names of the Royal Tank Regiment weren't chosen by the crews as they had been laid down much earlier. As the Tank Corps, the RTR were the first force to be equipped with tanks in the world. The tradition of naming tanks began in 1916 and by the battle of Cambrai in 1917, every one of the 300 or so tanks involved had a name. These names survived into the Second World War (and indeed do so today). There was a system of sorts, with the first letter indicating the battalion (regiment) and the second letter the squadron. So, for example all the Fourth Battalion names began with the fourth letter D, A Squadron names beginning DA (DANGEROUS), B Sqn with DE (DEFIANCE), etc. The Fourth recruited in Scotland post war so some new names did creep in (eg DEWAR, DRAMBUIE) to indicate some favoured beverages.

In a spirit of festive cheer.

Stephen

[phil fitzpatrick]

Thanks for the good info Stephen,I will have a look for that book and get
it,sounds good
Cheers
Phil

[robert michael hilton]

Thank you for advice Stephen/Phil, I keep promising myself I will purchase these books....I have a reference booklet called the AFV 25 Cromwell and Comet Profiles. I ordered the A34 Comet book you suggested Phil however, Abebooks were out of stock....I will enquire again.

As this Comet tank build is a completely new modelling arena for myself, I have tried to restrict my building and add ons into some sort of order. It is so easy to leap ahead or become distracted. But I think the time has come to hint at a likely Christmas present. I have to be very careful here as my modelling purchases over the years have not always gone down well with the good lady....can't think why. Perhaps it's because I live in a world of make believe, where all things are possible.

Thanks again for your advice lads....as a point of interest Stephen, I was stationed near a tank regiment during my regular army service with the REME in the 1950s, at Paderborn, Germany. I think the tank crews were based at Sennerlargar. Not sure if the spelling is correct.....mick

[Stephen White]

Mick - don't want to hijack Phil's thread so I'll just say that Sennelager was indeed one of the armoured regiment postings in Germany and of course in the Fifties would have been equipped with Centurions. Now, if Mark can produce a Famo for the fans of trucks and a Cent for those who want something with a turret.......... Think of the versions, British gun tanks, Aussie gun tanks, armoured recovery vehicles, bridgelayers......

Happy Christmas

Stephen

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Stephen
The more information you can give us the better,its very interesting
Thanks
Hi Mick
I was at Sennelager several times on exercise,but my time was 1964 to
1967 stationed in Berlin with the 1st Staffordshire Regiment,I was in the
Signals.
Just up the road from Mr R. Hess's residence.
Cheers
Phil

[robert michael hilton]

Memories.....memories.

Right, back to 2010, I have re-ordered the Armor Photogallery British Cruiser Tank book...way back in September, the first time I tried to obtain this publication various book dealers had sold out.....never mind, hopefully, I may receive this in time for Christmas.

I have to say Phil your decals look the part.....very nice. Keep the posts and photographs coming. I am using your Comet build as a reference library, and refer to your photo's to help with my build. This Forum is a mine of information and advice....mick