Colors for WWI Female Tank?

I would assume khaki or khaki drab.

Nobody really knows accurately the colours of British WW1 tanks . We do know they weren't green as originally seen at Bovington . This was just a paint readily available to stop them rusting . Anyone who saw them only recalled them covered in mud . Some of the very early ones were painted in Royal Navy warship gray . The general view is that they were a mid brown similar to Humbrol dark earth . If you do a brown tank with plenty of mud splashes , I don't think anyone could really argue . I do find it strange that no one has identified paint chips off the serviving vehicles ,but that does appear to be the case. The Bovington examples are painted a medium brown now.

^^^ that ^^^

Smeagol, this is a highly recommended resource for WWI armor: http://www.landships.freeservers.com/

also, on the topic of these tanks, what were the wheeled trailor type things on the back of those tanks for?  Iv seen some that had a mortar platform on it, but they dont seem like those

The best I can come up with for color is a brownish gray.

The wheels on the back was part of the steering.  They were connected to a wheel that was operated from inside and would assist in turning the vehicle.  The true steering was done by engaging only one track at a time in order to turn.  The wheels were also a way to help increase the length for trench crossing.  These proved unsuccessful during combat conditions and were discarded from Nov 1916.

The MK IV with the mortor was known as the Tadpole.  To increase their trench crossing ability, a number of "Male" and "Female" MK IV and MK V tanks were modified by extending the rear section.  This device known as the Tadpole Tail was evolved during 1917 and consisted of a pair of mild steel horns attached to the rear of the vehicle by metal straps and rivets and braced with diagonal stays thereby increasing the length of the vehicle by 9ft.  This added 28 more track shoes to each track and an extension had to be added to the drive.

The mortar version was an experimental Tadpole.  A platform was built between the rear horns on the bracing stays and used to mount a 6in mortar, firing forward.

a female tank?

Pink, of course !

Beat ya to it, Manny !

Seriously, though, I don't recall reading of any difference in colors between male mk 4 and female mk 4.

here's a link to a post regarding the color of an Australian Mk 4 female tank:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=63528&p=3&topicID=9385392

hope that helps some.

Since this kit fell together so brilliantly I am thinking of using it in a dio, so I have a few more questions.  I dont know enough WWI history as I should.  I know it was like WWII, more or less, UK France and us in France against the Germans.  My question, did they combine forces, would you see a British tank with french infantry?  Did trenches look different from nation to nation, Ie did the french build them differently then the British?  Also what did said trenches look like, I look at photos and see alot of different things, but I cant tell whats a thought out fortified trench and what is a long ditch made at the last second

French trenches were typically wattle ( construction of poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches, used for walls, fences, and roofs ).

You can actually get a lot of information about how different trenches looked using Google images by typing in the phrase

ww1 trench warfare pictures

Yea, but I wasn't sure if it was a british made trench, french made, german made, austrian made, or whatnot.

Depending on your location, the German trench may be have concrete fixtures built in, connected by either concrete trenches or regular trenches.  If you can imagine, the German army was on the defense from 1916 to 1918, when they went back on the offense.  They would allow to the allies to bleed their formations white on insignificant salients in their line, then pull back to preprepared fortifications, which were, made from sturdier materials and built in such a way as to only be able to serve the Germans.

The 1/72 Airfix kit I have shows a fairly intricate camo pattern including four colors I believe.Can I assume this is not accurate?

I think you'll enjoy this vid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzk53VoKmtI

Not sure if the British used camo or not, want to say no.  Will dig around in my books and see what I come up with.  Now the Germans painted camo on the captured British tanks as well as there own.  The French also used camo patterns on their AFV.  Great video...should post in the GB.

I cant imagine why WWI tanks would need camo... they were big hulking and loud.  They were meant for breaking lines and crossing noman's land, I cant imagine them being used for ambushes, not in that war.

A little inspiration might be found here.

http://arcaneafvs.com/ww1.html

Found this too!

http://www.landships.freeservers.com/mark1-3_info_walkaround.htm

Very cool stuff, thanks a ton.

Dumb question.  Why so much mud on these tanks?  Was it constantly raining? was it just that much blood in the dirt? or were they just lazy with the powerwashing?

From what I gather, No Man's Land between the lines was nothing but a muddy, shell-wrecked wasteland... I don't imagine that the rear marshalling areas were all much cleaner.   

Cookie Sewell did an WWI tank that's worth a look-see if you can find it online.

but why was it muddy?  Thats my question, mud has to be caused by moisture, unless there was that much blood, or it rained for a few years straight...

Because that ground was in constant use from men, equipment and animals not to mention the shelling that turns over the earth with every impact.  As such, just add a little rain and there's your mud.   I don't imagine that it's because the ground itself is blood-soaked (although there were probably places where that did occur).

Look up old WWI trench pics and you'll probably see a fair number that indicate the conditions at that time, I'm just working off of what I've read.

smeagol the vile

but why was it muddy?  Thats my question, mud has to be caused by moisture, unless there was that much blood, or it rained for a few years straight...

Being muddy depends upon the terrain and time of year.

Flanders has a high water table and a clay layer under the soil which does not drain. Add to that a daily bombardment of shells that prevent plant growth ( which would soak up rainwater )  promotes standing water.

http://faculty.musowls.org/askewWL/wwi-sites.html