Hi,

I have just started painting my First World War troops - Infantry is no problem, but I can't find informations about the colour of artillery pieces. Or, I find to much: pieces in museums are coloured in all shades of grey, and the french ones I have found sometimes in the traditionall french artillery green. But all these colours may be inventions of the museums, to make their pieces look brighter.

Does anyone have more reliable informations?

Thanks, Ralf

My research has turned up German guns in mid-grey and French 75s in a mid-buff colour.

Thanks! Grey is what I expected, but buff is a bit of a surprise.

Further investigation has also turned up pale blue-grey for the earlier French artillery and camouflage colours for later French artillery (similar style to French tanks). Those are the three styles  of painting for French guns that I have now found. From the uniforms and amount of vegetation It would appear that the buff colour was certainly in use at the start of the war. Black and white photographs also show French artillery to be much lighter than the clothing of the crews.