Paint color choices for the Pioneer trailer....

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:25 am

I am going to paint the trailer before Aberdeen and try to bring it up with me in May. The question is, which color would be most authentic: Yellow or Blue?

I'm guessing yellow would be a flight line item color? Were there blue trailers on the flight line?

Yellow would be a nice change from the blue '37, but would it be something that you'd see a M37 towing around? Did they use M37's on the flight line?

Or is OD a choice for an Air Force trailer?

I'll have to remove the "Army" data plate on the rear door and pretend it's an AF trailer anyway.

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:54 am

Prior to the mid 1970s, all AF vehicles not used on the flight line or for fire protection were painted blue. It is quite possible that a combat-oriented Civil Engineering squadron used these trailers, and they would have been painted blue with yellow letters. After the Vietnam debacle, the AF jumped onto the OD bandwagon and drifted into the NATO "requested" camo phase in the late '70s and early '80s.

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:07 am

Lifer question for you.... Didn't units like REDHORSEs use OD equipement even in the 60s, you know "combat" type AF units? I've seen many pics of M151s in VN that were used for Forward Control Towers and in units like REDHORSE to build landing strips etc that were OD with white stars. So my thinking is that if the unit was designated to be in the bush that they may have had OD equipment.

In this case I think refit should paint the trailer blue to match his truck.

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:23 am

This is one of those situations where I wish there were photo reference to go by. I don't mind painting it blue but I want the markings to make sense and reflect the era in which the trailer served. It was made in '67, if that makes a difference.

Would it ALL be blue or would the running gear be black? Ya' know, the frame, axle, wheels...etc.

vtdeucedriver · Post by **vtdeucedriver** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:01 pm

refit1701 wrote:This is one of those situations where I wish there were photo reference to go by. I don't mind painting it blue but I want the markings to make sense and reflect the era in which the trailer served. It was made in '67, if that makes a difference.

Would it ALL be blue or would the running gear be black? Ya' know, the frame, axle, wheels...etc.

My dad was USAF in 1962. Back then, he had a Yellow M37 with Red stenciling, He has pics!!!! He also had a Strata Blue one with Yellow Markings.
I think about it now, I wish we had gone with blue but our M37 is the early green or the Late WW2. It will be a USAF truck at Kimpo in 1951

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:52 pm

Mine is about that level of parts assembly but without bodywork or paint. Nice looking truck and it makes me want to take off a month and work on mine.

I think if I painted mine yellow the guys would throw me out of the local club!

vtdeucedriver · Post by **vtdeucedriver** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:00 am

refit1701 wrote:Mine is about that level of parts assembly but without bodywork or paint. Nice looking truck and it makes me want to take off a month and work on mine.

I think if I painted mine yellow the guys would throw me out of the local club!

Well this is a father and son project. We both bought in on it and we both agreed that it would be USAF. He wanted blue and I said no, then I wanted yellow and he said no so we settled on green.

If I did it all over again, it would be yellow or blue. I guess their is still time to repaint it but NAWWWW. I got enough parts to build another, so I might some day.

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:03 am

k8icu wrote:Lifer question for you.... Didn't units like REDHORSEs use OD equipement even in the 60s, you know "combat" type AF units? I've seen many pics of M151s in VN that were used for Forward Control Towers and in units like REDHORSE to build landing strips etc that were OD with white stars. So my thinking is that if the unit was designated to be in the bush that they may have had OD equipment.

In this case I think refit should paint the trailer blue to match his truck.

During our involvement in Viet Nam, some units were authorized by the theater commanders to paint their vehicles OD if their local commanders thought it prudent. Not all did so, however, because the justification process involved a fair amount of paperwork. Others did it without submitting the proper paperwork to get it approved. It was a real goat-rope!

You were liable to see just about any combination of colors, too!

russcal · Post by **russcal** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:04 pm

Hello, y'all!

Interesting topic! There is a very practical reason for having a trailer for your vehicle, and I intend someday to get one. Was disappointed to learn that M43's didn't have trailer hitches, much less actually tow trailers! Fortunately, I actually have a XM152, and it does have signs of having had a trailer hitch (it doesn't now). It also has the factory type trailer plug receptacle, so it's a eventual possibility. Might have to wait 'til my next vehicle tho', as everything I've read and heard says the M43 type is a "non-energetic" vehicle by itself, much less draggin' a trailer.

Russ
Proud son of Rose and Wes