Hi all new to forum, my intrest in WW1 tanks is due to me playing table top war games. What I would like to ask did the MkV all ways have a Unditching rail on them, or did remove them, and still go into battle. I have a 1/56 scale Mk V and a Whippet to paint up and have read what you say about what colour and shade they may be, but does any one recomend a manufacture colour in vallejo model or Vallejo air in ether khaki brown or khaki green for them both, e.g. have a few pots from painting up WW2 tanks.
Here is a picture of Beute Mk IV that i use in my games. IMG]https://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/jnrmack/S7300369.jpg[/IMG]
There is some photographic evidence that suggests that some Mk V and V* were in the combat area without unditching rails. I enclose a few of these. However care needs to be taken, these tanks were shipped from the UK without the rails and supporting brackets fitted as they did not meet British railway loading gauge requirements (the Mk IV could perhaps just squeeze through) and these were fitted in France where the loading gauge was more generous. The Mk V had a different exhaust arrangement pefore and after the rail brackets were fited as the port bracket on the commanders cupola acted as a exhaust pipe bracket as well, lifting the pipe clear of the port door on the cupola. Without the bracket the exhaust pipe blocked this door. I would have thought (but have no evidence) that if the rails were removed the bracket would be retained. It's possible that some of the Mk Vs without rails and brackets have arrived in France but the rails have yet to be fitted.
In which case I offer this well known shot of a Mk V* and Vs sans rails and all clearly not in Dollis Hill (unless there's been a particularly rowdy party the night before)
IMG]https://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg115/jnrmack/S7300369.jpg[/IMG]
