Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

1950 - 1952, M38, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38.
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Ryan Miller
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Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Ryan Miller » Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:17 am

Evidence for late production Air Force Blue M38 jeeps from the factory found on a BOM (Bill Of Materials) factory record.

It also lists Marine Corps Green.

Much effort in time and cost was expended to provide this information.

Not promoting my own site, but it is easier to list the link here to the thread than to repost everything here.

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... c&start=75
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:48 pm

That's great to hear, Ryan, it finally confirms old eyewitness reports from the 50's of factory blue at Dow Field. We bought a practically new M-38 that was OEM USMC Green from Boston Navy Base back in 1958. It was in my family until the mid 80's.
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by lowell » Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:55 pm

mine had hood numbers but no hood star. i sanded it slowly but found only the one set of numbers and no evidence of a star. was this done factory or did it have a replacement hood?

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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Apr 05, 2013 3:20 pm

There is little evidence of Strata Blue combat vehicles with a star, the Jeep was "Plain Jane" from the factory, just the registration.
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:46 am

I have M-38 Bow Brackets removed from M-38 at Dow Field in early 1953, they are USAF Yellow and are original Strata Blu on the side bolted to the body.
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:26 am

The Strata Blue on these brackets is Gloss.
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by leecarr » Thu Mar 02, 2017 10:55 am

This makes me curious, the steering column in my m38 shows red primer, blue, yellow then green. The hood shows red primer, yellow, green then what ever. There is evidence of yellow on the frame and suspension on top of the green. Does this mean anything or nothing ?
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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Mar 02, 2017 12:29 pm

It had a number of color changes.
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HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

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Re: Factory Air Force Blue M38 Evidence Found!

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:52 am

Most Yellow M-38's I have encountered are Strata Blue underneath the Yellow and came with 2430 Instrument mounting plates. many OD USAF M-Jeeps were painted Yellow afterwards.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


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