The Colour of Tanks

Despite the fact that the First World War has only recently passed out of living memory nobody seems sure what colour the tanks were painted in 1917 and 1918.

There is an ongoing debate on this matter on "Landships” which tends towards concluding the tanks were often (usually ?) brown, though other variations probably existed:

http://63528.activeboard.com/t8801205/more-on-tank-colour/?r=885393

The best summation is also on Landships:

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/WW1camo.htm 

A detailed description can be found in Warpaint Volume 1 (2008) Dick Taylor

It is unlikely all the tanks were painted the same uniform colour as:

Variations would have been introduced when the paint was mixed.

The undercoat colour affects the topcoat.

The tanks were stored outdoors and the environment would have affected the paint.

There is also debate about what colour SCC2 was

SCC2 (Brown) paint - British Vehicles - HMVF - Historic Military Vehicles Forum

The modern versions of colour of SCC 2 also vary depending upon where you buy the paint.

The following are the snippets of information the Author has found:

MK I tanks

In 1916 when mother was the only tank at Bovington, Soloman J Soloman painted it in a "kind of Jolly landscape in green against a pink sunset sky" (s66.p115)  

Solomon's work was copied by the first tank crews "with much care, but little skill". (s66.p115)  

On arrival in France the tank's landscapes were ordered to be painted over "with a bold pattern of brown, broken by broad black lines. " (s66.p115) 

The camouflage pattern is visible on all the surviving photographs of tanks that fought on the Somme, and at least one the MkIs that fought at Arras: X13.fp49.

Also on almost all the sponsons of female tanks that fought at Arras. 

The serial number was not painted over the camouflage. It sometimes appears in a light colour on the Mk Is when they were use as supply tanks, possibly white.  On other photographs it is darker and may be red.

The names and crew numbers were painted over the Camouflage, usually in alight colour, presumably white, though red may also have been used. 

Some Mk Is were in a uniform colour at Arras

At least one male MK I may have reached France in its original factory colours with the famous Russian writing still visible (see tank in background of photo: TM 887/C2 can be found in the photos in S3).

MK II and MK IV tanks

The tanks that fought at Arras were painted a Mud colour (Hqto); at least some of the female tanks were equipped with Sponsons sporting Solomon Camouflage implying they were taken from MKI tanks (photograph: PA-001493, X58.p68)

"The highly coloured camouflage painting was abandoned, and all tanks were henceforth of a neutral brown colour and provided with Camouflage nets. " (S43.p45)

When the MK I and IIs were converted to Supply tanks they and the newly arrived MK IVs appear to have been repainted the same uniform colour. (X67.p35)

This colour may have matched the mud of Flanders and northern France which is usually reddish in colour

Dick Taylor suggests tanks were repainted in a brown colour when they arrived in France, leaving the serial number on the original light grey background colour. S94 p31ff Illustration P34.

The MK IV on the left of photo X67.p35 has its serial number (possibly 2699) painted in dark paint on a dark background whereas the MK II has the serial number in White paint on a similar dark background shade.

Dick Taylor names the brown colour “Tank brown” and states it was probably a dark tan rather than brown, possibly a lighter shade of the SCC 2 used in WW2. The illustration of the serial number on S94.p34 has a brown outline. Contrary to the text and caption on page 34 the two illustrations of tanks on pages S94.p33 and S94.p35 have the tanks in a dull green colour.

The tanks names and Crew Numbers would only have been applied once they were with their battalion. Photographs sometimes show tanks displaying their names, crew numbers and serial numbers on backgrounds that do not match the tank's overall paint scheme, suggesting the tanks were repainted after these had been applied. (X44.p100, X60.p62, X60.p64).

Ypres

A colour photograph taken by Frank Hurley shows the hulks of "Bridget" and "Britania" (2561 and 2668) near Clapham Junction, both hulks appear to be brown. A22, 2677, "Auldreekie" which is visible in the distance in front of 2668 appears to be in a much lighter shade, possibly light grey. AWM P03631, Author has access to a high resolution scan. 

A drawing of the tank gateway at Poelcapple has the derelicts D24, 2759; D31, 2785; and D32, 2737 coloured reddish brown: 

Art.IWM ART 4752: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/21179

4 Company painted their tanks with Camouflage on 31 May and 1 June 1917 (W2). This may be the camouflage pattern visible on the Derelict "Bear" in at least one photograph: X74.p16. 

A poster for Scunthorpe's Tank Week advertising "Egbert" depicts a tank in grass green. http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/937606032/in/set-72157601074582281/

Cambrai

Translated German accounts from Cambrai describe the tanks as "dark" and "black": S64.p48, s64.p85. 

The Germans described the captured F41, "Fray Bentos II" and F13, "Falcon II" as grey. (S74.p31) In addition the poster for the German film "Die englischen tanks bei Cambrai" http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/8666  portrays F41 as being grey. (S74.p30) 

The differences between the British and German accounts could be explained by the fact that at Cambrai some of the tanks (of 3rd Brigade; "C", "F" and "I" Battalions) appear to have been re-painted in a lighter shade, their Crew Numbers being left on the original darker background: 

I36 whose identity is otherwise unknown X74.p47, X74.p60

C47, 4561, "Conqueror II" which also retains its "Nose Art" on the darker background: X74.p31, X74.p47; http://www.flickr.com/photos/drakegoodman/6927024867/in/set-72157625639179301/ 

4561 was also photographed in the German workshops with the Sponsons and several other parts removed. The darker paint is clearly visible around the round hole just behind the sponson, this would have been covered by a washer. X74.p57: 

C51, 2732, "Chaperon" was left derelict in the field; it also retained its "nose art", it too still shows the lighter shade over a darker background sometime after the battle had finished. X74.p31

Some authors have argued that the lighter shade is mud, this author believes this is incorrect as C47 is still showing the same pattern when she arrives at the German workshops, and C51 is still showing it after it had been left standing outside and derelict for some time; surely the mud would have weathered off. 

Also if this was mud why isn't it covering the "Ace of Spades" painted on both tanks' sponsons.

The Author believes the usual dark brown was painted over in a lighter grey colour, the "Ace of Spades" being added later when it was requested by 12th Division. 

B30, "Belly Hackle II" also appears to have been painted a lighter shade over the original dark paint X74.p57.

1918

The surviving Mk IV in Brussels (4093) is still in its original paint scheme which is brown; inside some of this is still visible as a dark chocolate brown (X74.p90f). 

The external paint has faded over time http://www.landships.freeservers.com/mk4_survivors.htm

Several paintings and illustrations show MK IV tanks, the author doesn't know when the paintings were completed or what source material was used, they are therefore not very reliable sources:

A WFC Holden painting of Clapham Junction shows a red brown tank on a red brown shell pocked landscape: S38.p246  

A WL Wyllie painting of Cambrai "Dawn 20 November 1917" depicts a lightish brown tank: S57. plate i

Probably more reliable is the official tank Corps 1918 Christmas card "The roadmaker" which clearly shows a light brown tank, which appears to be a mark IV: S57. plateVii 

A coloured photograph of 8043 abandoned at Brie Bridge has it coloured Brown, the tank in the background looks grey.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/4458362251/in/set-72157601074582281

A drawing made at Dollis hill shows a male MkIV in light green, the accompanying troops are in light brown:

Art.IWM ART 2488: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/67

Mk V and Mk V* tanks

These were also usually in a uniform colour. 

The 57th Australian Infantry Battalion's War Diary has a coloured sketch at the front of its August 1918 page which depicts two tanks and some infantry, the infantry are in brown, the tanks are the same green as the background grass. The tanks also have their red and white stripes on the rear, behind the grills, not in the correct position at the front. (downloaded from AWM).

A drawing of a MKIV male fitted with a tadpole tail shows it in light green, 

Mk IV male illustrated: Art. IWM ART 3891: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/78 , note that the tank is drawn light green.

this tank probably never left England.  Were tanks on home service painted Green and those in France brown?

A drawing of 9891 going into action shows it in a light tan colour, interestingly the accompanying infantry are in green:

Art.IWM ART 2267: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/65

A post war French postcard shows a MK V*, 9640 in very dark Brown:  http://www.chars-francais.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=37

Whippets

Some whippets appear to have been painted in camouflage patterns. 

The survivor in Brussels is still in its original paint which is Dark Green,  though this may have faded over time.

A217, "Julians Baby", is shown in light green in an illustration made at Dollis hill:

Art.IWM ART 3890: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/77

German tanks 

The best sources are: Rainer Strasheim (2011) Beute Tanks Vol.1 and Vol.2 and Rainer Strasheim (2010) Sturmpanzer A7V

Steven J Zaloga (2006) German Panzers 1914 - 1918 is also a good source on German tanks. 

The colour plates are very useful. 

Captured British tanks may initially have fought in British paint schemes with large Maltese crosses painted over them (X6.p18)

Later they were painted in camouflage schemes (X6.p45)

A7Vs were originally painted light grey, later they too adopted camouflage schemes (S6)

Sources

HQto - PRO 95/91: GX/18/1/1. Report on Tank Operations, Battle of Arras. 9th to 13th April 1917. Report No. 1 (preliminary). Unnumbered Appendix to Tank Corp War Dairy

S6 - German Panzers 1914 – 1918 (2006). Steven J Zologa, Osprey

S13 - The Tank Corps (1919), Clough Williams – Ellis

S37 - Following the Tanks, Cambrai. (1999) Jean-Luc Gibot and Phillippe Gorczynski

S43 - Tank Warfare (1937) Frank Mitchell

S66 - The indiscretions of a Warden (1937) Basil Henriques 

S73 - Rainer Strasheim (2010) Sturmpanzer A7V

S74 - Rainer Strasheim (2011) Beute Tanks Vol.1

S75 - Rainer Strasheim (2011) Beute Tanks Vol.2

S94 – Warpaint Volume 1 (2008) Dick Taylor

General Tank Information