Hi all

Have been wondering what colour would U.S. built armour used by the British for the North Africa/Italian campaigns have been supplied in i.e. Shermans, M7's, etc? Did these vehicles leave their manufacturing plants in OD & then sprayed at the various MU's in theatre, or did they roll of the line in British spec colours?
I pose this question because I've been kicking around the thought of doing my Priest with a fairly banged around paint job, but reluctant to demonstrate that if not the case

The first Shermans the 8th Army received were taken from those issued to a US armd div, so would have been factory painted in U.S. OD. The wear down to this can be seen in contemporary photographs.

Not sure about the M7s - vehicles built to British contracts would have been painted to whatever specifications the order required, which may well have been a close match to the prevailing ME base colour of the time. This isn't really my period but there are others who know more about it.

Everything I've been able to find says Lend Lease gear was supplied in any colour you want as long as it was OD !

Seems to suggest that any theater camo was applied in theater

I understand that at least some B vehicles built to British contracts and designated for service in the ME were supplied in Coronado Tan, so I don't think everything came in OD.

For example,
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1336535372/Response+to+Mark++and+Paul+below-++Colours+of+US+M3+Light+and+Mediums+supplied+to+Britain

Prior to Lend Lease the contracts specified what colours the material would be in however under Lend lease it was whatever colour the US used which was generally OD. All M7 & M4 were supplied in OD as they were Lend Lease. THe M3

Thank you all. I think I have enough information to work with. Although I would be interested to see what extra you gad to add regarding the M3 series Al as this is cut off from your post

In addition to that cited document by Shane Lovell, I've seen a similar order for M20 Tank Transporters (Diamond T -- the subject of the 1/35 Merit Models kit) with the same "Coronado Tan" request for their UK buyers.

the early M20 Tank Transporters supplied to Australia were Coronado Tan with most of the rest supplied from America in OD which was quickly over sprayed to what ever colour the ADF wanted or needed them.