AF M37's

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:42 am

Hi all,

I've just recently purchased an 1953 M37 and under all the layers of paint there is a medium to dark blue color. It is under the fenders, on the bed, etc.

Is there a way to tell if this was an Air Force truck?

Also, were all AF trucks blue or were some OD?

Thanks

John

nivek · Post by **nivek** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:47 pm

http://news.webshots.com/album/557451148nUmMHr?start=12

Ike named his Frankebeast "Bucket". Bucket now is faded sorta_Strata blue.

In the pictures I took and are in the Webshots folder above, one can see in places the original Safety Lime truck was painted as a basecoat.

All Bucket's placards name it as an original USAF truck, have every reason to believe Lime is the first coat of paint on it.

"Old Blue" my first, and current M-37 was a polygot of sheet goods. USA, MC, Navy and AF colors on panels big and small, then all painted an ugly color of barn house blue years ago.

Since pulled everything down and either scrapped or sandblasted the sheet goods so we could start again with uniform primers and paint.

Not unusual to find differing colors under the current paints..

kevinL

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:28 pm

In 1953, all Air Force vehicles except fire trucks and flightline trucks were Strata blue. Most USAF vehicles are stil blue. They didn't start painting the tactical vehicles green until late in the Viet Nam "unpleasantness," and the change only applied to vehicles which were already "in country." They didn't start applying the camo paint jobs until well after the war was over. Been there...seen it all! (I'm a retired USAF vet,)

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:54 pm

I'm going to get pics tomorrow of the blue areas and I'll post them. The blue *looks* too dark to be Strata. I guess it could just be my imagination.

Maybe I can sand down to the markings and determine if it is AF or not.

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:51 pm

What's the "responsible agency" on the data plate?? That may help determine whether or not it was originally an Air Force truck. Mind you, assets were sometimes transferred from one branch of service to another according to mission requirements at the time.

refit1701 · Post by **refit1701** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:58 am

The main plate on the glove box door is missing. I am hoping the PO has some of the others in storage.

There are numbers on the front bumper which I could not read where he has it parked. Today I'm going over there to get it started and he was supposed to tow it out so the wrecker can get to it. I'll photograph the bumper numbers.

He originally claimed it was from the 101st Airborne but with that dark blue right next to the metal, I was not sure if it was correct.

Hopefully, I'll have images to post tonight.

CGarbee · Post by **CGarbee** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:53 am

Don't forget to lightly sand areas such as the doors in order to see if you can spot vehicle registration numbers (USAF placed thier numbers on the doors...). Other places to carefully sand are the hood sides (for USA and USMC trucks) as well as the bumpers...

For reference, you might want to take a look at the photos of Ed's USAF M37 that can be found on my website at:
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/photos35.htm

Good luck.

AF M37's

AF M37's

John local to my area is an AF M37