They were all brand new once!

[Gary Brantley]

I came across these pics and thought they were pretty cool. Armor modelers strive to make their AFVs look like they've been used hard and that is sometimes the hardest part of the process. But, how about the day they leave the plant? Here's a few shots of a brand new M3 Lee tank that looks like it's just off the floor although it's obviously a museum setting.

Factory fresh and ready for work!

[Stikpusher]

Ah, one of the “barn find” Grants in Australia! I have been hearing a lot about those tanks recently. Thanks for posting those.

Gary, it is true, they were all new at one time. I remember when my old Mech infantry battalion would get vehicles in such condition. Of course those were not shiny, just very vivid and clean flat camouflage paints of that time. Of course that brand new look went away with the first field exercise. The paint colors still were fresh, but never quite the same after dust and mud gets into the paint, no matter how much the vehicle was washed afterwards.