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Armor/AFV: Softskins
Softskins group discussions.
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White 920, Tank Carrier. Questions
turtle65
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Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 - 12:01 PM UTC
All,
Just hoping some of the knowledgable folks here could assist me with a few questions regarding the White 920, Truck, 18-ton, 6x4, Tank Carrier (title as per Wheels & Tracks HMVD).

I have very limited knowledge of WWII Areas of Operation and info/photos on this vehicle seems to be very sparse, so

1. Of the few photos I've come across of this vehicle, it appears to be operating in possibly the Nth Africa campaign - so the question is what would be the most appropriate colour scheme ?
2. Also would the interior colour remain the original green or would this have been resprayed/painted as well ? (very hard to tell from the limited and grainy b&w photos).
3. And lastly, what would be the most appropriate seat colour ?.

Many thanks for taking the time to view these rather basic questions. I'm just trying to make an accurate model of this vehicle for the Tank Transporter Campaign @50th scale.

Regards.
tankmodeler
#417
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Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 - 02:45 PM UTC
Generally, a softskin in N. Africa would be in Light Stone and the interior would remain in the original colour (whether green or brown). There might be a disruptive banding of black, brown or green. At least according to regs. What the actual crews did would be limited to what the RSM would accept.

Paul
jon_a_its
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 12:50 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Generally, a softskin in N. Africa would be in Light Stone and the interior would remain in the original colour (whether green or brown). There might be a disruptive banding of black, brown or green. At least according to regs. What the actual crews did would be limited to what the RSM would accept.

Paul


I'd agree with Paul.

I think these were conversions, but I can't remember if these were done in the US, UK or the Mid-east.

Without having my Bart Vanderveens' handy, I seem to remember that a lot of White (& other Mfr trucks) were built in the US, for the French Forces, & most were diverted to either the UK or some directly to the British forces in the Middle East.
(someone will correct me, I'm sure... )

Sooooo, Interiors will be US pattern, o/d with red leather or Olive/Tan canvas seats.
Frenchy
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 02:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text

(someone will correct me, I'm sure... )


Why ? According to B.Vanderveens, 145 White 920s had been ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tankers,and diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. (page 382).

HTH

Frenchy
tankmodeler
#417
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 07:06 AM UTC
Hmmm. Interestingly, given the time period (i.e. before lend-lease), they might not have been in US OD. They might have originally been in a French colour. US manufacturers in the 1939-40 period were not necessarily adverse to painting a paying customers' vehicles any colour he wanted. I do beleive the purchased Grants were supplied to Britsh colour specs (SCC2 Brown, I think) and not OD.

So they _could_ have been a French colour. However, as I think that was also an OD or green drab, good luck trying to discern that for sure!

Still, the outsides would be desert colours and the insides would have been whatever they were originally painted in. Whatever that was.

There, how's that for muddying the waters!

Paul
Frenchy
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 07:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text

They might have originally been in a French colour. US manufacturers in the 1939-40 period were not necessarily adverse to painting a paying customers' vehicles any colour he wanted.


US-built trucks delivered to France at the beginning of 1940 were painted "Vert Khaki" ( = Olive Drab ) and they were not repainted (from F.Vauvillier's book "L'Automobile sous l'uniforme").

HTH

Frenchy
turtle65
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 08:07 PM UTC
Many thanks to you all for your input to help clarify my Q's.
Paul - not long after I had posted I had the same thought regarding the Lend-Lease colour differences, however it looks like Frenchy has answered that, cheers.



(credits to the internet, multiple sources)

jon_a_its
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2012 - 09:39 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

(someone will correct me, I'm sure... )


Why ? According to B.Vanderveens, 145 White 920s had been ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tankers,and diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. (page 382).

HTH

Frenchy


Fall of my chair in shock....!
Nice to find my memory isn't complete cheeze

I remember an old Airfix article on scratch-building this, happy days...

Rogers' found pics are interesting, they look like A9's (?) in European colours.
Wander what Armour they carried in the desert campaigns though?
Frenchy
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Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 - 03:32 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Wander what Armour they carried in the desert campaigns though?


Maybe Crusaders, just like this White-Ruxtall 922 ? :



Talking about the White 920, here are two more pics :





Frenchy
tankmodeler
#417
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Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 - 07:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text

US-built trucks delivered to France at the beginning of 1940 were painted "Vert Khaki" ( = Olive Drab ) and they were not repainted (from F.Vauvillier's book "L'Automobile sous l'uniforme").

There you go, thanks Frenchy! Question answered.

As for desert payloads they could also take Stuarts & Valentines, both of which are within the payload limits.
turtle65
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Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 - 02:36 PM UTC
A huge thankyou to you Frenchy for posting these additional photos of the White 920.
Finally I have a decent photo of the rear end and 'bees knees'.
Very much appreciated
Frenchy
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Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 - 08:26 PM UTC
You're welcome Roger. It looks like other White trucks like the aforementioned White-Ruxtall 922 or the lighter 704S are a bit more documented...

Frenchy
chrisgrove
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Posted: Saturday, January 05, 2013 - 09:23 AM UTC
[quote]
Quoted Text


Quoted Text

(someone will correct me, I'm sure... )





Fall of my chair in shock....!
Nice to find my memory isn't complete cheeze

I remember an old Airfix article on scratch-building this, happy days...

Rogers' found pics are interesting, they look like A9's (?) in European colours.
Wander what Armour they carried in the desert campaigns though?


Top one of Roger's pics shows a late model A13 and the lower one is a Covenanter. Great pics of tank transporters on this thread!

Chris
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