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colour

Hi all, I thought I had posted this but cannot find. I want to restore my WM20 to original army colours (Australian) Can anybody identify a colour code or name ? Also who has the best picture showing what is green and what is not ? Cheers

email (option): myf1@hotmail.com.au

Re: colour

This is not an easy subject I am afraid. The paint we use now is very different from the paint used 75 years ago. Here a list made by two forum members Rik and Ron some time ago. I hope it's of any use to you.

Henk



It depends to what period of the war but in a nutshell the colour used at the outbreak of war was Khaki green (gas proof No3 no BS number). At some point in 1942 the colour was changed to Earth or Service Brown (BS499) In 1944 the colour was changed again to comply with the US colour in readiness for the invasion, British Olive Drab (BS298). All probably in different shades dependent on manufacturer. I have also noted other colours like 'Bronze Green' Mid Bronze Green' 'Fern Green' and of course Desert Sand etc. But probably best to stick with the classics.

Ron



Rik
Aug 10 2018

The wartime colours (all matt) were Khaki Green No.3, SCC NO.2 Brown and 'British Olive Drab'.
Colours continued in use until paint stocks were used up.

Most sources seem to indicate that SCC No.2 Brown replaced KG No.3 around June 1942 so a 1941 BSA was probably finished in the earlier colour.

You perhaps need to bear in mind the trim level of your bike. If it has the late war bits and panniers then it will probably resemble a 'rebuilt' vehicle rather than look ex-factory and if rebuilt after mid-1942 then it would almost certainly have been painted in brown.

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Re: colour

And to really muddy the waters the Australian army were prone to doing things like painting all of the exposed alloy with heatproof aluminium paint and the rest of the bike overpainted all sorts of colours.
When part of a British contingent they left them as is complete with the C numbers but bikes sent directly here could have the C numbers painted over.
So authentic is some what a vexed term

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

Re: colour

At first it was just the tank number that was painted over with the Australian tank number as you can see in this photo.

Henk.

Australian-BSA-s

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

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