Hi all,

I have noticed that some of your fine machines sport the yellow gas detector paint on your head lamps

May I ask what reproduction paint is best ? Or evan better can you still find some original gas paint out there

Many thanks,


Mark Towers

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

There seem to be at least three different types of gas detector paint. Early and late British and American.

I colour-matched the early British shade on my headlamp shell using Humbrol enamel, applied thickly. There is a picture of it on the WD16H web site.

http://www.wdnorton.nl/Worlds_most_original_16H.htm

That's great thanks Rik!



Mark Towers

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

Mark, we can talk when you get to the finishing stages. From memory, it was a standard matt yellow with a touch of white. If you can't brush paint to save your life and you don't like stirring paint then you won't have any trouble achieving an authentic gas paint finish !

cynical bugger Rik Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Still looking for a can of the Gas, Khaki No. 1 have the No. 2 and the US tins.

Rik, am I right that the No. 1 was used from 1939 to 1942ish and then the more unsuspicious No. 2 came around?

Here the No.1;

I mixed this to the various samples I have;


Then the later No. 2;



Painted sample from Steve Madden;


And for comparison the US pea green colour, this fades to a yellowish green in sunlight;


Of the US stuff there seems to have been 2 types aswell, but have only seen this type 2;


In various makers tins;


There was also a creamy white civilian gas detection paint version in the UK, have seen this once 30 years ago on a bike, must have been commercially available at the time, anyone has a tin of that?

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbxxx.net (think about this)

Lex, That would be pretty much my understanding too, although I've never seen anything specific about dates. Something that I read in the aircraft museum at Hawkinge led me to believe that the same yellow was used on aircraft - in the additional roundel ring - which might account for it being such a striking yellow colour.

This was my patch when flatted back - smaller than often seen.

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and the repro :-

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I'm interested to see that tailpiece. What contract is it from ? My rear plate had gas paint used for the Arm of Service serial but I've never seen any official reference to that practice...Regulations stated that the paint should be visible from the driver's position...it seems though that they also thought it a good idea if it was visible to following vehicles.

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Lex, That would be pretty much my understanding too, although I've never seen anything specific about dates. Something that I read in the aircraft museum at Hawkinge led me to believe that the same yellow was used on aircraft - in the additional roundel ring - which might account for it being such a striking yellow colour.

I'm interested to see that tailpiece. What contract is it from ? My rear plate had gas paint used for the Arm of Service serial but I've never seen any official reference to that practice...Regulations stated that the paint should be visible from the driver's position...it seems though that they also thought it a good idea if it was visible to following vehicles.[/quote]

Rik, I have some scans from books I can send you, with a little more info.

The tailpiece is from a B4, and this was sandblasted many years before I knew the significance of the yellow paint! but at least I have a picture...

If you want I can lookup the contract, but is the same as Sven's tail piece he had for sale last week.

Cheers,

Lex

ps, will add some more picures to my above post.
pps, Oh well too late now, so here the pictures:

The dented Norton tank;


My newly acquired camouflaged headlamp;


Ron's ?? G3 with the later No. 2 paint;

email (option): welbike@welbxxx.net (think about this)

Lex, I just thought about narrowing down the dates. Did Sven sell a tailpiece ? I didn't see that.

Fantastic information guys !

I will definitely be applying it to my 1940 M20 when she arrives on the 17 April !!

Need to find a DU142 8 " first

Mark Towers

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

Mark, now that I found the nice original one, I might part with the one I had earmarked for the 16H, after sandblasting, some extra holes appeared in the main housing!

Email me, and I'll take some pictures.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbxxx.net (think about this)

Lex, I just thought about narrowing down the dates. Did Sven sell a tailpiece ? I didn't see that.[/quote]

Yes, he had it on marktplaats, twas contract C7576 delivered medio 1941 (and so is my tailpiece).

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbxxx.net (think about this)

There are what seem to be decent quality 8" lamp reflectors available. Sam Cormier has one, but I'm not sure if he's fitted it yet.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290931623414?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Hi Lex,

It may be my end... But I can't seem to email you ?

Could you kindly email me? I'm very interested in your blackout mask

towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

Regards,

Mark

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

I got one of the small original tins of this paint from the militaria dealer Hayes Otoupalik here in the US. It was '42 dated, and all the pigment had settled out, but after a good stirring, it was as good as new. I painted patches on my headlight shells, and around the star on the hood of my Dodge WC51. Interestingly, the paint had no reaction to the OD paint, but if it touched the white paint of the star, it turned it a bright pink!

email (option): m20wc51@yahoo.com

My original 'mustard' coloured British gas paint turned the thinners red/orange when I cleaned the brush...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

The paint on Ron's G3 Headlight and the paint on the sample shown by Henk were from an old un-opened tin of British gas-detector paint dated (I think) 1943.......by then the colour had gone from very yellow to khaki, almost the same shade as Humbrol enamel matt "Dark Earth" as used for model aircraft, etc..........

Despite heavy mixing and obviously age, the paint was still usable and very thick and quick-drying..............(hence the brush marks) and it set rock-hard too.........

Clearly however, if we go by many bikes and vehicles prior to the D-Day landings, the threat of gas was still very much an issue judging by the vehicles with this applied..........

Not sure how effective this paint was originally, but in the early 2000's I rode my W/NG in Normandy with this paint still fresh on the headlight and got stuck behind a particularly smoky GMC in convoy and the paint started to develop purple/red patches ! (though this may have been my eyes suffering on reflection )