The Great LaW Mathom House.

[grizzlymc]

But wouldn't they look magnificent?

[Etranger]

I've always wanted to do Guards Armoured in full dress, although the crimson is only useful for the King's colour.

This is from their post war parade in June 1945, with FM Montgomery inspecting from the back of the half track. Apparently the vehicles were repainted dark gray with red trimmings. Since they were in Germany at the time the paint was probably of German military origin.

[grizzlymc]

I think the grey was a german navy stock. The red could have been the same. Imagine the vehicles like that and full dress.

[Etranger]

Yes, 'submarine gray' or similar.

[grizzlymc]

It could easily be the turret and metal deck dark grey, wonder what they painted red?

I think they fell out from that parade as infantry and never got into the Shermans again.

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Are those Shermans all Fireflies? Were their entire units of Fireflies at that point, or did they just group them together for a uniform appearance?

[grizzlymc]

I think by that stage over half of them were. Remember, GAD never got Comets.

[Etranger]

I think by that stage over half of them were. Remember, GAD never got Comets.

I haven't got the data to hand (although Peter Brown has published divisional returns from the various formations in NW Europe in the late lamented Military Modelling) but that's correct, typically with 2 Fireflies and 2 'standard' 75mm Shermans per troop by 1945. Some units did have separate troops of Fireflies but that seems to have been a short lived practice in Normandy.