after visiting this forum anonymously from time to time, I just registered, because this, i think, is the most probable place to have my questions answered.
Two of my Grandgrandfathers died on the western front in 1915/17 and since 2009 - my first trip to Belgium - I have developed an ever increasing interest in what happened then and there. Years later, aged 50, like so many, I started plastic modelling again and two years later here I am working on a model of the iconic wreck of C 51 Chaperone II.
Here are my questions:
The Ace of Spades markings on both sides have obviously been painted over older markings. A rectangle with a half circle on top. Does anyone know which color they had and what they meant. Where these 12th. Div. markings?
The only frontal shot of the tank I know of is in the Fokker film. I can not make out the tank's name on the front in those pictures. I vaguely remember a photo (of C47?) with the name on the front.
Was the Chaperone II painted on the tank's front? Honestly I hope not. Wouldn't know how to do the decals in white...
You ask a very interesting question about the old marking, the bar with the semi-circle on top. Comparing it to the white of the newer marking I'd say it was yellow, but I don't know and I don't ever recall anyone commenting on this before. I am not very knowledgeable about infantry markings, which is what I'm sure it must be. You may like to pose the question on the Great War Forum where some infantry experts will be available that you won't find here.
My instinct is that the name would have been painted on the glacis plate in the same style as other C Battalion tanks at Cambrai. Conqueror II is probably a good example to follow.
There is probably someone here who can advise on decals. I wouldn't have a clue.
The dark (black?) lines are camouflage to cover the periscope openings. A lot of Mark IV tanks had them, in various styles. As for the initial question, I have no clue...
