1953 Truck ID and color scheme

[themoose74]

I have been sanding down multiple layers of paint and here is what I have found:

It is definitely a USAF truck. There is a layer of Strata blue EVERYWHERE throughout the truck...and the data plates list it as Air Force.

The second layer of paint is red-bright firetruck red. The next two layers of paint are various colors of army green and brown. I have not sanded down on the doors, front bumper or bumperettes to look for ID markings, yet. I did find yellow tire pressure markings on the rear wheel wells. I'm getting off of track, though.

The rear cross member below the tailgate has what appears to be painted over stickers so I sanded those down and here is how they read:

White letters on a red background stuck directly upon the strata blue layer of paint.

Drivers side: "U. S. AIR FORCE"
Passenger side: "53K 4171"

The numberng system looks correct, but I am stumped that it is what appears to be a sticker on red background. Also, the consistent red layer of paint all over the blue, too, makes me want to believe that it is/was a firetruck. I read that the "K" is the military general purpose indicator so that should rule out the firetruck theory (assuming that it was the USAF that labeled it with these decals/stickers.) What sort of jobs would have entailed it to be red, though? Or could this just be what the first civilian owner of the truck did?

I have taken some pictures, but because it is so humid outside, my camera fogged up and the quality is POOR! I'll have to try again later.

Thanks,
Bo

[refit1701]

Congrats on a USAF truck!! There aren't many restored that way as people tend to go back OD. I hope you will keep yours Strata Blue.

A red truck could have been associated with flightline duty as a fire truck to haul equipment. Delivered as blue and then painted red.

Lifer will be along here shortly....

[Lifer]

Lifer will be along here shortly....

Yep! Here I am!

The white letters on a red background would indicate that the truck had been transferred to fire protection from another unit (or simply from the motor pool). The vehicle number would not have been changed, and the truck should have been repainted red with the same numbers as soon as practical.

I second the motion to go with the original blue!

[themoose74]

Thanks guys. You just verified what I was hoping to be the case. Now I know the original vehicle number and at least a bit of an idea of what it did for some of its time in the service! I have seen spots of blue on both doors so it will be interesting to see if the numbers will match up.

Before today, my plan was to make it blue...but my four year old son loves firetrucks. Seems as if my world has just met his world and it morphed into a military firetruck!

I am working on the bed right now, but I will report back with bumper and door findings when/if I locate them!

Bo

[cuz]

Bo,

There should be a USA XXXXXXX number on one of those green paint layers. The truck would have shipped under the Army ordnance procurement system** in 1953 with a USA XXXXXXX number that the Air Force would have used for maybe a year or two before it made the swap to the new USAF registration system using your

53K 4171

. The switch wasn't rushed into service but rather tied to the next time there was a need to repaint the jeep. There were several numbering systems used between 1948 when the USAF became a separate service (USA XXXXXXX) and just adding the F after the USA occurred early on and then around 53/4 AXXXX when you would see alot of mixes including both the USAXXXXXX and the AXXXX on the same truck and finally 55-58 the transition to XXKXXXX. As a rule of thumb if your responsible agency data plate says Ordnance/Ordnance then the truck would have originally had the USAXXXXXXX number. Around 54/55 the USAF and the Navy started dealing more directly with the manufacturer for their vehicles.

** In 1948 with the establishment of the Dept. Of Defense and a separate USAF the DOD assigned all tactical wheeled vehicle procurement to the Army Ordnance Command. This meant each other service had to submit it needs to the Army and the Army wrote the contracts and accepted the vehicles and distributed them to the service that requested them. This system was not liked much by the USAF, USN and USMC and by 55 they were writing their own contracts.

[UZIS9MM]

I know that these aren’t air Force trucks but I thought that these pictures might help in your decision and give you an idea of how yours will look once painted. As far as I know there aren’t to many M37’s painted up as military fire trucks. That would definitely be a head turner when completed.







Kevin

[Gerry]

Thats the first pict of red I have seen. It does look good

[themoose74]

Great pics, Kevin! The red does look sharp. The blue looks pretty good, too. As does the OD. I sound like a woman looking at shoes. If I were, I'd buy all three pairs...so maybe I should look for two more trucks to buy so I can have one of each! Who I am kidding, the deal I would have to strike with my wife in order to have that motorpool would leave me penniless and HER closet filled shoes!

I'm just excited to find out a bit of this truck's history.

Bo

[NebM37]

I have had the exact opposite issue. My Wife thinks it would be very cool to have a truck from each branch of the Military. I'd have to buy another one to pull that off. lol

NoRM
who thinks Strata Blue isn't seen enough

[k8icu]

Go for the FD red.... It will defenitly be unique and different. Get a USAF fire dept markings on it too....and to make it right paint the frame and the inside of the cab strata blue and the outside body red. That would be GI for sure....

Good luck with your project what ever you decide to do.

[themoose74]

UPDATED marking finds on the Strata Blue layer:

The hood reads (in yellow):
U.S.A.F.
A17500

The doors appeared to both be empty except for the following listed on the lower right hand corner of the driver's door (in white):
PROCESSED BY
THE TUMPANE CO. INC.
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON
4 FEB. 54

Does anyone have any more information regarding the AXXXXX numbers the Air Force seemed to use for a short while? Were they completely dropped when the newer numbering system like 53k 4171 was adopted?

Seems like in 1953 it was a very gray area for numbering. Would/could the AXXXXX have appeared on the truck the same time the 53K xxxx would have been stenciled on?

Lastly, what sort of stencils should I be looking for on the underneath side of the hood and in what particular locations?

Thanks,
Bo