When was Australian olive drab lusterless introduced?

[Paul Ramsden]

I was just wondering when the Australians moved from bronze green to olive drab lusterless ob there Land Rovers etc?
I seem to remember it was 1967 but I am not quite sure.
Would the original series 2 Gun Buggys have been painted Bronze Green?

[JackM]

Paul,

Have a look at
http://www.mheaust.com.au/Aust/Austindex.htm

This gem is contained in the text -

"This Australian Olive Drab colour has been used since 1967 on Australian military vehicles"

So you guessed right, if the author of MHE is right !

Although I can't point to any authority, I don't think the 106mm RCL carriers, were ever painted anything but lustreless green. Those that remained in service in the late 80s/early 90s may have got the cam job, but as far as I know they were never Bronze Green.

Jack

[Stuart Kirkham]

Deep Bronze Green gloss era:
In the 1950's the Australian Army fleet were painted Deep Bronze Green gloss from the factory, as per the British M.O.D. fleet colour of the time. Likewise, when the 1958 supply contract was awarded and the Series 2 Land-Rovers were delivered to the Army they also met this colour requirement and were Deep Bronze Green. As well, this colour continued with the supply of the AMF spec Series 2A Land-Rovers. But only those made before April 1967.

Australian Olive Drab satin era:
In April 1967 the scheme changed. The fleet colour scheme changed to an Australian Olive Drab flat colour that was more appropriate to war service in Vietnam (Mekong River colour?)

More info here http://www.remlr.com./. Look under Restoration Information and Series 2 1/4 Ton section.

[phoenix]

You can also find the information on the paint page on the flkeet information and restoration page

http://www.remlr.com/paint.html

Do you have a gunbuggy, or are you making a model??

If you've got one of the real ones, feel free to join REMLR (i'm the administrator) or at least let us know what it's chassis number is

[Paul Ramsden]

Just a model I am afraid, It would be nice if it was real but there you go.
I was thinking of repainting it for its early years say 1965 and wondered what colour it should be. Sounds like bronze green is correct.

[phoenix]

Actually, i've never seen one in bronze green. I do have some early pictures of series 2 gunbuggies, and not one in deep bronze olive.

THe gubuggies were converted from existing general service and forward area ambulance vehicles. As far as I can tell they were repainted as part of the conversion. Either to a olive drab, or a pale brown. Because they were front line vehicles they got the better camouflage sooner. for the same reason the gunbuggies were some of the first to get camouflage schemes as well.

Actually, to be honest we aren't sure exactly when the gunbuggies were converted, it appears to have been around the time of the colour switch.

here is an early pic of a series 2 gunbuggy (as opposed to a 2a) from ANZAC steel.



and an earlier B&W one, doesn't look like gloss to me.


here is the page on REMLR about the gunbuggies. http://www.remlr.com/2_2Agunbuggy.html

another pic which looks like an early PR photo and may be in gloss bronze olive, but it wouldn't have been for long.


this page of pics is of dinty's series 2a gunbuggy. http://www.remlr.com/dmshedtopless.html

[Pedr]

You need to be very careful with the correct titles for these two colours....otherwise serious confussion will occur.

The pre-'67 colour is called DEEP BRONZE GREEN.

The Vietnam era colour that was superceded by the modern camoflage colour is called OLIVE DRAB.

There is a confussion built around some people referring to a bronze olive....that's a colourbond fence colour only, or the other one.....drab green or olive green, they're house paint colours not military spec. paint colours.

nuf said.

Pedr