Primer for M3A1 White

Started to build Tamiya M3A1 White to Lend Lease campaign. What was the color used in primer paint in WWII allied vehicles? Was it red brown?

Yes, red brown, or red oxide primer was used.

Ok, thanks. Going to do some chipping to vehicle.

Don’r go nuts with the paint chips. US tanks had baked enamel finishes, and the paint had a high lead content for durability. Since the waterproofing applied for sea transit often left the finish looking tatty, the tanks were often repainted in fresh Olive Drab upon arrival in the UK. If the top coat chipped, it often just revealed another layer of olive drab.
Chipped paint is one of the fads arising from the “Spanish School” of model painting, along with color modulation. Since many model builders want the viewer to know how hard they’ve worked, the effects are frequently over-done, and don’t resemble anything seen in the real world.

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Thanks for info. Going to make chips mainly inside vehicle where crew gear has made scratchies to paint. Have looked photos of russian used M3A1 and they seem to be in good condition.

You right about this “Spanish School” style weathering of tanks. I remember read somewhere that german tanks survived average two weeks, so not much time to get rusted etc. If Shermans were produced at wartime 49.000, i guess they lifetime was also not very long.

I like to joke that Sherman’s were knocked out with such regularity, and supplied in such a great number, that once the crew bailed out of the tank, a new one was already waiting along side.

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