Warbird Information Exchange

I'm wondering what the original color was of sections of Marsden Matting or pierced (or perforated) steel planking (PSP) in WW2.
I'm building a model RR layout that takes place in 1943 and I want to throw some sections of the stuff into the back of a truck. They're etched brass and it got me wondering what color they were when they were new, before they turned to a rust color...

A prolonged internet search didn't turn up any photos online showing new sections in photos taken in WW2.
NOTE: I'm looking for documentation or photos from WW2 showing new sections. I have posted this question on a few military forums and have gotten nowhere, as everyone responding just guessed or talked about what a section they know of looks like now or how they looked in years well after WW2.
I want to be very specific here: I'm interested in what color they came out of the factory in, during the WW2 years only. I can speculate easily on my own, I'm looking for data which shows the color for sure.

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Did you try searching for PSP?

Try here: http://www.calumetindustries.com/?page_id=176

I did, and that is exactly why I was so specific that I was looking for documentation from WW2 as to how it came from the factor and not what it looks like from someone selling the stuff decades after the fact.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Seabee Museum in Port Hueneme may be able to assist. They have lots of good information there.

My point was, that by calling it 'Marsden Matting' you're ignoring the fact that most folks have called it PSP since WWII.

Some good starting points for looking at the original Specs here:

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/401508.pdf

Good idea, I never thought of that. Thanks!I am indeed ignoring that point, because I'm not at all interested in anything having to do with this subject that is postwar. That was why I was so specific in the original question that I was only interested in any documentation prior to the end of WW2 which mentions the color these things came out of the factory in, and nothing else.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

quemerford just posted the same link.
I appreciate the attempts, I really do, but at the risk of sounding like an ingrate, I must be very specific here:
I am only looking for data from the timeframe prior to the end of WW2 and not one day later than that, which would show how these plates looked and what color they were when they were brand new, from the factory.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Just kind of playing Devils advocate here. If information like this is so hard to come by, then who will be able to point at your Diorama and say "Ha! his PSP is the wrong colour!!" ?

Given the required life expectancy of the stuff, I wouldn't think it would have been coated or treated with anything. In which case, exposed steel would start to rust the day it was laid down.

Sorry for just spouting off, and not being a documented WWII source

Andy

Fair point, Andy. But I'm a stickler for stuff like this and it drives me nuts when I can't get something (seemingly simple) like this figured out. If the matting was on the ground, I'd just paint it with rust and mud. But I want to represent new matting, off the truck for the very first time. There's a reason for that, but it's long, boring, and has no bearing on my question anyway.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

An observation....just because 90% of the photos of this stuff appears to be RUSTY....doesn't necessarily mean that it is RUSTED....

If you go to Lowes you will find two colors of metal primer: gray and "rust" red/brown. Curiously these are the two prevalent colors seen in vintage color photography as well as modern photos of vintage stuff.

I would say that the stuff was primered red---possibly gray....and shipped off.

Ask a swabby from WW2 what color they primered the hull when they had chipping and scraping duty and I'll bet they tell you RED....before they painted it GRAY.

I say the primer color is the finish factory color.

Just a thought.

IF, you find any color prints, and its red, more than likely its the infamous red lead primer that so many steel companies used from the 20's up through the late 60's .

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Natural law. Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers.

Have you seen this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKW2AIsnGEc

Thanks, but there's not much info on color to be obtained from a blackand white film.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

..... .....

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A man's got to know his limitations.