Concerning British Tanks... (1 Viewer)

[maddadicus]

Concerning KC vehicles to date, didn't the British have their own insignia for their vehicles? On the Sherman ,Staghound, and Churchill, all have American Stars. Somehow ,for me, that kind of takes away the uniqueness of their being an ally vehicle....Michael

 

[jazzeum]

It's not American stars per se. The stars were used as an identification for allied vehicles so as to avoid confusion.

 

[Louis Badolato]

On some of the older, wooden vehicles Andy portrayed the British tanks with yellow triangles or red diamonds either instead of or along with the white stars. His first effort at a British Sherman (circa 1991) has stars on the chassy of the tank, but the yellow triangle on the turret. A later Sherman (1996) has the yellow triangle on the chassy, and no stars. A Cromwell (1998) has the red diamond on the turret, and no stars. There are also different divisional, corps and regimental markings on the British armored vehicles. I don't know whether these markings are accurate.

 

[OzDigger]

Most allied tanks (British and American made) used the Invasion Star as the standard D-Day (and later) recognition insignia (aircraft used invasion stripes). The Invasion star was the usual US white star within a white, sometimes broken, circle and was usually displayed on the turret roof for identification from the air, and therefore rarely seen in photos taken at ground level. The tanks also displayed their usual division signs together with id numbers, the later most often being two digit numbers on turret sides.

 

[panda1gen]

Most allied tanks (British and American made) used the Invasion Star as the standard D-Day (and later) recognition insignia (aircraft used invasion stripes). The Invasion star was the usual US white star within a white, sometimes broken, circle and was usually displayed on the turret roof for identification from the air, and therefore rarely seen in photos taken at ground level. The tanks also displayed their usual division signs together with id numbers, the later most often being two digit numbers on turret sides.

Agree with Oz about the star...

Small thought however - some units would be worth specifically producing for dioramas e.g. I understand that the Sherwood Foresters fought on with the 82nd Airborne after Arnhem, so they could be matched with Commonwealth or US units with accuracy.....Does anyone know whether that is true?

Maybe a good choice for a firefly?

Kevin

 

[OzDigger]

Agree with Oz about the star...

Small thought however - some units would be worth specifically producing for dioramas e.g. I understand that the Sherwood Foresters fought on with the 82nd Airborne after Arnhem, so they could be matched with Commonwealth or US units with accuracy.....Does anyone know whether that is true?

Maybe a good choice for a firefly?

Kevin

Kevin, The Sherwood Foresters certainly were attached to General Gavins' 82nd Airborne for a while after September 20. I'm actually re-reading one of my favourite auto-bios being 'By Tank Into Normandy' (Cassel & Co 2002), written by 2nd Lt Stuart Hills.

He commanded a Sherman tank (initally a DD version) in the Nottingham Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry and his book provides a graphic first hand account of that campaign. As he served at the sharp end on the British and American fronts as well as behind the lines he provides various perspectives on it.

 

[panda1gen]

Hi Oz

Come to think about it I have that book somewhere and think that may have been where I remembered it from - I'll try and dig out out now, thanks.

There were many interesting cameos in that campaign as I recall....pity about the alzeihers...

Kevin

 

[ucla1967]

It's not American stars per se. The stars were used as an identification for allied vehicles so as to avoid confusion.

Brad,

Actually, I believe they were American stars, per se. The British, Poles, Free French, adapted the U.S. markings for the 1944-45 European campaign.