I would like to know what is a good color for painting the 18 pounder ? I seen a photo of one in a museum and it was an olive color. Is this a good place to start? Thank you for your help.
I would recomend Osprey's publication - New Vanguard 94 British Artillery 1914-19 Field Army Artillery!
Some options
1. "blue-grey" (Mid grey slightly lighter than "battleship Grey") base with tan / pale mud irregular verticl zones, With the zones outlined in a strong (not bright or shiney) yellow.
2. Mid Green with diagonal light brown zones which are outlined in white/pale grey OR yellow as in 1.
3. "Bronze" Green with dark/flat earth zones (vertical or diagonal). The zones being outlined in Grey, Black or paler Yellow.
4. Overall mid Green
5. Mid Green or Olive (but flat) green with irregular pale brown or grenn-brown patterns.
6. "Bronze" Green with pale Kahki patterns.
British camoflage had some standard patterns to give Guidance. It was however significantly affected by zone of opperation & available colours. A good example is the "dazzle" schemes involving white or pale blue in & around Arras!
I've seen lots of preserved 18 pounders, and they're all in different colours! The tan/grey markings shown in the Osprey book were a new one on me, never seen anything like that ie in a black and white photograph showing the outline of that scheme before, don't know what it's based on. Here's my preserved 18 pounder photographs - there's also another in the National Army Museum, where photography is banned, which is a very light khaki which makes it almost seem stone coloured
18 pounder at the IWM
The 18 pounder and ammunition limber at Fort Nelson
Rob, re the blue-gray scheme, it is most seen earlier in the war because much of the RA went to war with that grey as its base colour. The other area that I have seen it is around Arras due to the chalk & soil colours.
Thanks - I knew the ASC originally went in with grey vehicles but didn't know that about the artillery too. Wonder when the 13 pounder 'Nery' gun at the IWM acquired it's current green finish - another artillery piece I need to do a photo walkaround of as it's now been moved and is much more accessible
Thank you all for the replies. After spending most of my model building life in either W.W. II or modern I am just starting to understand the various colors used. I have been wanting to build the Emhar kit for a while and now I have a lot of information.
