Greetings all,

Working on my Mk II SHerman. I haven't done many two tone camo schemes before so wondered what you think of this one.

Setting anywhere from Algeria to Italy LOL, LOL.

Tracks are just set on and lots still to do yet. Awaiting the arrival of the rear bin but there's enough here to give you an idea. As these vehicles arrived in OD and were given a quick coat of dDsert Yellow and then shipped directkly out to units I intend to paint the inside of the hatches OD.

Reference pictures are few and far between so I've build this as a bit of a mix with the cast housing of the later version and the early gun mantle although I could swop turrets to a later mantle if necessary. I've seen them with and without skirts and in-between so as I can't really pin this down to a particular vehicle mine's in-between too :-) :-) :-)

I want a well worn even repaired vehicle that's seen a bit of service, one reason for the early gun mantle.









cheers

Al

Hiya Alan,
Get back to your Boats :-)
I've not seen pics and have virtually no knowledge of WW2 Brit desert camo, but your Sherman's camo looks 'unbalanced' to me. Too much yellow and that OD rainbow on the right hand side makes me think of a toddler's first painting for some reason.
As I said I've seen no pics but it just doesn't look 'right' to my eyes.
But if you think it's right. It's right.
All the best.
Tom

It wasn't Desert Yellow actually - it was 'Mud Grey' with blue-black disruptive pattern. ...

Hi Al

Mike Starmer's 'Alamein and after' is good for this period of British cammo, which gives you the oportunity to go with Stone, Desert Pink Z1 of Light Mud for the base colour, topped off with OD (maybe), Blue Black (aka Charcoal Grey) or maybe something more exotic like Terracotta (I think - it's a week or three since I read my copy). It also has the official cammo pattern (and the inevitable variations).

The Sherman turned up at (yet another) transitional period of British desert paint schemes (2 changes in October 42 alone) which makes deciding on colours more fun than usual. Pictures on the IWM database show a variety of schemes; some have white countershading on the lower surfaces of the tank a la the Light Mud/Blue Black pattern and some don't.

WEM should have Starmer's book

David

Greetings all,

Hi Tom, I though the idea of camo was to make things look unbalanced :-) :-) :-)

Hi Jim and David,

I was reading through William E Platz book Desert Tracks and he discribes in detail some of the many and varied patterns used in N Africa. Desert Yellow and Dark Green would appear to be correct for most Shermans, although some added black or grey lines to separate the pattern and the Dark Green may have been Grey in some cases.

The pattern was applied randomly but individual units adopted their own schemes some of which were standard.

New vehicles arriving were in OD and given a quick spray before being shiped out to units. If they weren't repainted fairly soon this came off and after a few weeks sun and sand they look like they hadn't been painted at all.

I don't really want a 'Crazy Ivan' just something that looks well used and worn. I think the RHS and Front look OK but the LHS is a bit odd?

I think camo blends best when sprayed but it's not so easy by hand.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Cheers

Al

It's sometimes a bit over-used, but I really think that nowadays, Mike Starmer's books are the 'definitive' word on the subject.

Hi Guys,

A slight alternative with the black line around the pattern, which I believe the Buffs and some others used. I've added and altered a few of the dark green patches which when weather a bit look more grey than green.







Jim, I'm sure Mike Starmer's book is excellent and it's likely just a different use of ther language between Desert Yellow and Mud Grey, as I suppose Desert Yellow could be whatever colour the desert happened to be at any given place. However, as I'm not painting 'as new' it won't matter. Sun, sand, dirt and rain quickly change the colour of any paint scheme.

Cheers

Al