RAAF blue colour code

[cliff]

It is my understanding that WW2 vehicle supplies were all in the same colour, "Service Green", regardless of what service they went to when new. What happened Post war as vehicles were refurbished is anyone's guess but this is when most RAAF (& Navy?) vehicles would have reverted to RAAF Blue in colour. Full rebuilds may have meant stripping all existing paint and starting again.

[Mike K]

hi Diana

I support Cliff's thoughts. It wasn't until post WW2 that the fleet colour schemes came into being e.g., RAAF blue/grey . And the army DBG . The history of Holden book , refering to 48-215 sedans , gives the RAAF fleet colour 1948-53, as Blue-grey paint.

The PMG is listed as Fawn , oddly.

The GMH colour movie , made in 1944, clearly shows CMP;s parked at Fishermens Bend , Melbourne, with the "RAAF" script on the cowl , the overall colour of the trucks is the WW2 green .

Mike

[warren brown]

I think you're right - during WWII it's very likely the RAAF colour was green - however about 15 years ago, Warwick Lord had for sale, a spectacularly original RAAF F60L (from memory - I somehow don't remember it as a Chev - and I think Warwick had scored it from a property in western Queensland) with an original body, disintegrating tyres etc and all the RAAF markings on the cowl. It still had the square petrol tins on it ...yet it was an unusual colour, almost a yellowy/lime green. The paint was old, flat and chalky but from what we could see original - the truck was so good that other than getting it to run you wouldn't have touched it. But I remember the strange colour being a point of discussion and it wasn't that the paint was a faded OD - I'd love to know what happened to it...

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by warren brown

It still had the square petrol tins on it ...yet it was an unusual colour, almost a yellowy/lime green. The paint was old, flat and chalky but from what we could see original - the truck was so good that other than getting it to run you wouldn't have touched it. But I remember the strange colour being a point of discussion and it wasn't that the paint was a faded OD - I'd love to know what happened to it...

Hi Warren,

I also remembered that F60L, and how original it was. Do you recollect the drivers sun visor with RAAF stenciled on it? Would have loved to have taken it home, even better if it had been a Chev

Here is a photo of it....

[warren brown]

Yes Richard - I forgot about that tray, but the cab and everything else was terrific - and yes - I do remember the sun visor with RAAF stencilled on it - how good is it you have a photo. I wish I'd photographed the billyo out of it then - how was I to know I'd one day end up with a Blitz of my own...

[warren brown]

It's funny how your mind plays tricks - In my minds eye that Blitz had an original body...gawd, old-timers already...

[warren brown]

Or was that tray-back 'original' to that truck? Not factory, but made for some specific military role - any ideas?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by warren brown

... yet it was an unusual colour, almost a yellowy/lime green. The paint was old, flat and chalky but from what we could see original - the truck was so good that other than getting it to run you wouldn't have touched it. But I remember the strange colour being a point of discussion and it wasn't that the paint was a faded OD

I'd say it was Khaki Green #3, as from what I have seen that colour fades into a far more yellow shade than the later Olive Drab.

H.

[warren brown]

Thanks Hanno and Keith - when you say khaki green (and I know this is probably a futile thing to try and explain in an email) is this a light colour like say, British pattern webbing? (and I know there are a million variations on this).
I just remember as a kid, the Humbrol model paint listed as khaki was a pale, sort of grey/green - it was nothing like olive drab. Sort of Steve Irwin shirt colour. (How's that for a colour reference?)

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by warren brown

Thanks Hanno and Keith - when you say khaki green (and I know this is probably a futile thing to try and explain in an email) is this a light colour like say, British pattern webbing? (and I know there are a million variations on this).
I just remember as a kid, the Humbrol model paint listed as khaki was a pale, sort of grey/green - it was nothing like olive drab. Sort of Steve Irwin shirt colour. (How's that for a colour reference?)

Warren,

I can only quote paint colour expert Mike Starmer who describes Khaki Green No. 3 as "a dark rich brown looking yellow–green". Now, for all I know this could be the colour of Steve Irwin's shirt
So the best advice I can give you is to mix up the colour according to Mike's instructions on the MAFVA site; that way you will know you have a sample which is matched to original equipment samples.

HTH,
Hanno

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all - Khaki Green No.3 had the coding as B.S.381-1939. Humbrol model paint code 30 should give you the colour. I have used gallons of this colour and get it made by Protec paint in semi-gloss. I originally sourced the colour from a protected area on a Bren Gun Carrier restoration.

Bob