Lights on prewar British tanks

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Dave Page
Would vehicles have left the factory or have had replacements fitted in field and still been finished in black, until the vehicle was repainted later?

Dave,

When parts were produced during the War, especially standard items such as lamps which could have been fitted to anything, the vehicle colour scheme would have been unknown. Early on it could have been Light Stone, Brown, several shades of Green. Thus, if a lamp was fitted and there was no opportunity to paint it at the time, then matt black is the most logical primer, better than red oxide or grey primer which would compromise the camouflage scheme of the vehicle.

Richard