Lvt

Anyone got any decent colour pictures of wartime LVT amphibians in more 'funky' camouflage schemes than the usual Olive Drab? (specifically looking for the '(A)4' variant but any others would do.)

Got a couple in recent magazine articles but they're modern restorations or swimming so the scheme isn't clear, those ones appear to be carrying swirls of grey/green/brown.

Cheers,
Adam.

 

I was gonna buy some etch for it but it has 2 sodding sets... which would cost more than the kit itself...

Found I've got a colour profile of an Iwo Jima DUKW but it's a rather dull 2 shades of sand over OD, still looking for a more interesting pattern on an LVT.

 

I've just read that the Royal Marines were issued 24 LVT(A)4's in February '45. Under the auspices of the 34th Amphibious support Regiment (formed from the same chaps that operated the DDay Centaurs). Training in India, no deployment in WW2 and then a stint of being a 'demonstration regiment' until disbandment in '48. (Looks like the vehicles were used later in Korea.)

What I'd really like to know though... Is what colour they painted 'em, any ideas?

I thought possibly the same brownish tone as their Centaurs??

Cheers,
Adam.

 

Cheers H,

I've got :
(That Fletcher man again) Royal Marine Armoured support group (DDay Centaurs), reconstituted as 29th Infantry Battalion RM, then used to form the 34th Amphibian support Regiment RM in '45.

Four batteries, two using the 75mm LVT(A)4, the other two being flame and rocket respectively. The 'specials' were mounted on standard LVT's rather than the turreted (A)4.
Flame equipment was a pair of 'Wasp' projectors on shielded stands (designated 'sea serpent'), trials showed if it got too choppy they just went out. The rocket battery was a dozen of 'em with trays of Hedgehog launchers, 72 shots possible in 3 minutes (ideally that's 864 rockets delivered from the sea, quite a hefty barrage during a beach assault, inaccurate or not!). I've got 'em returning to Britain in '46 but still many of the same blokes performing demonstrations for the next two years.

But what colour were they?!
(that's the LVT(A)4's... not the blokes...)

Quite tempted to find out more about the Rocket launchers, fancy a bit of scratch-building... even though I'm terrible at it.

 

I couldn't believe the size of the LVT itself mate, I'd thought of 'em as small things for years until seeing pictures of all sorts of gear being unloaded.

 

they were what (somewhat serendipitously) largely answered the first question just after I asked it, Don't remember an RM colour scheme though. I'll double check 'em.

 

Few nice shots on MLU:
The LVT-4 Alligator

Fine site:
Photo Gallery

Surprising amount on Youtube:
YouTube - 1952 United States Marine Corps TV Program, LVT Tour
YouTube - Peleliu Palau LVT from 1944 needs PM
YouTube - Saumur 2007 LVT
YouTube - KETC | Living St. Louis | LVT Alligator Landing Craft

 

Alligators, Buffaloes, & Bushmasters. A history of the LVT Through WW2
Major Alfred Dunlop Bailey, USMC (Retired)
Occasional Paper
USMC History Dept.
1986.