Can anyone answer this question? The Merit 1/35 M19 Diamond T tractor is shown as being fitted with two airline valves (one red, one yellow) mounted on the front fender. Is this correct for a WWII vehicle or only post WWII? Photos I've found on line never seem to be clear enough to see if they are there. Thanks for any help.

Here is the WW II air piping diagram from the TM on the White Motors 666 military truck and as you can see this vehicle had air fittings both front and rear.



I know the Mack NO and both the Diamond T cargo truck and Wrecker had double ended air fittings. I therefore think it is safe to assume the larger Diamond T M19 ballast tractor had them also.

The double ended fittings allowed a disabled vehicle in tow to still have functioning brakes controlled from the forward vehicle doing the towing.

Here is the TM piping diagram for the Mack NO showing front end brake line fittings:

Yes, one on each side where the bumper top fill plate meets the fender, red on the left side. There is a CD copy of the manual that you can get. Mine is from easy1productions. It came with the pictures I have, which are copy righted for the CD. It is a good buy as it has a lot of information about the truck and trailer. I got mine to do an IDF version.

thanks guys

Were you asking if they were there or if they were painted red and yellow?

both I guess. Now I know that they were there but was that colour coding in use in WWII?

Unless someone can answer first, I'll check the manual when I get home tonight and see if any colors are specified. The lines are supposed to be there, as a standard fitting.

I have seen mostly red and yellow but I have seen red and white a few times.

Apparently old age is making me even dumber than I realised. I actually have the Squadron M19 in action book.....duh

Most wartime photos in it do not show any contrast between the valve and the vehicle colour (surely, yellow or white would be easily visible) so I'm thinking it was only post war that these colours were applied. The good thing is, if I'm wrong, the parts in question are easily accessible 'post build'.

If there were colors specified by the US Army the info is not in the TM's of the truck. There might be a separate TM just for air lines of this type.

Interestingly, I looked at the kit I have, the hard cab version, and the box art shows red-left, yellow-right, but the painting drawings show the parts OD.

Since I plan on an IDF truck with a Tiran 4 in tow I'll probably go with the red and yellow.

Did you get the replacement wheel set? I did. Real Model set 35270. I don't like the hollow rubber wheels.

I suspect that during wartime these bright colors were by-passed in favor of the more subdued overall OD.

Yup, I have the Real Model wheel set and the Accurate Armour WWII tie downs/chains set. Haven't decided on a load yet but I have a decal set for a desert version so the new Gecko A10 might work.