RAF Blue

[AmphibAndy]

Does anyone recognise this rather nice Jeep?   I am trying to find out who supplied the colour as its a rather nice rendition of RAF Blue.   If anyone can help me find out i would be very grateful   thank Andrew 

[LarryH57]

This is a nice looking Jeep but certainly not accurate for WW2, and if it is to be a post war Jeep then the RAF Blue needs to be gloss. Possibly the fenders needed to be gloss black too, as per the AMO for postwar.

In WW2 Jeeps in the RAF were quite rare in the UK and 4 Group Bomber Command. I bet 4 Group never had any like this as the vehicle is too small to carry a bomber crew, too underpowered to pull a bomb load or a bowser and the CO was more likely to be driven around in the saloon behind the Jeep in this photo to wish his crews good luck etc.

There were a few Jeeps in Bomber Command converted to Crash Rescue and others allocated to Mountain Rescue but they were still in O/D paint with additional signage..

BTW - RAF Jeeps photos I have seen from all theatres in WW2 tended to show the pioneer tools have been left off. 

If it was me I would not be tempted by such a scheme.

[AmphibAndy]

Hi Larry and thanks for the reply.   Firstly let me say I was aware of the debate and no doubt very accurate analysis of RAF vehicle paint during WW2, all of which makes perfect sense to me.  I already have a Green Jeep and dont mind about whether its accurate or not.  

Secondly and perhaps a bit more controversially my father was in the RAF during the second world war and was seconded to water proofing vehicles ahead of D Day at RAF Little Rissington.  After this he was sent to the Far East and used to offer to drive his CO in his Jeep when the CO was going on a mission.   My father recalls his Jeep being RAF blue!!  As I say, controversial.   Since my Dad is 96 and keen for me to get this second Jeep restored, he wants it in RAF blue...and frankly I am not going to deny him that. 

Thirdy, and perhaps irrelevant when we restored our first Jeep in 1974, we found traces of RAF type paint and the bonnet had not a star but very large number 80 where the bonnet star would be.    No idea what that would be. 

So,  I do get the historic accuracy arguments, but really this is a tribute to my Father and all the other RAF veterans and not meant to be anything more than that.     Besides which as you say,   they do look good !!

many thanks  Andrew 

 

 

 

 

[bikermoss]

Hello Andrew,

I thought this was my mates jeep when I first saw it but its not. his Jeep is a excellent RAF blue as well I can ask him what the mix was but I know the suppliers were 'Automotive Paint Supplies' in Adershot, Surrey:   . 01252 313141..

They can literally mix any colour you want,  recently they duplicated a earth brown on one of my bikes, which whilst not the usually, turd colour, is a really nice version and I wanted to keep it. They said it caused them a few problems but have exactly copied the colour for me.

As a footnote....I am with you on this subject of vehicle colours Andrew, these people who think that there was a exact colour of green or that WW2 bikes were not ever painted sand yellow etc etc do begin to erc me sometimes. If the colour is a shade that looks good and it suits you and your machine then that's good enough. My old Dad, Royal Artillery, Italy WW2 said that any paint they could get their hands on was used slapped on with a brush and if that was not quit right they would throw dust at it whilst wet....ummm…! I might even give it a go, that'll get the purest at my next show, that's if we ever have another one.

All the best Chris M 

[LarryH57]

Guys I totally get your point. Where RAF Jeeps were used in Middle East and Far East any colour to patch them up would do. My own Dad was in the RAF in Burma and later even further east as he ended up in Balikpapan, Borneo after the US/ Australian landings and was able to recover many abandoned vehicles. I have often wondered what people would say if I turned up at WPR in a Dodge Weapons Carrier in 7th Australian Div markings driven by an RAF LAC wearing a mixture of British Jungle Greens and Aussie gear and high Aussie brown jungle boots, complete with a couple of smiling 18 year old Japanese POWs in the back happy that they did not die for the emperor. Who would believe that! Yet it's true!

Also in the Med and especially Italy there was quite a lot of black market activity and a trade in supplies. Often things are a little less of an issue the nearer the front line.

However in the UK, bases were more orderly and not so much in danger save for a Luftwaffe night intruder. Each station had an MT officer and AMOs to follow.  Life was busy as my dad will attest on an active UK station with no time to draw some out of date / unavailable RAF paint and paint up any vehicle  in an out of date paint scheme for the fun of it; certainly not in wartime. For the record this is not the same as driving a vehicle in an old paint scheme that the MT section has yet to paint, that was painted RAF blue at the factory unlike a Jeep.

I will pay for one years membership to the MVT (£35)  or same amount for other club members for anyone who can proove / confirm with photo evidence to my satisfaction that any Jeeps in RAF service existed in RAF blue prior to 8th May 1945. I have been searching for best part 40 years. Offer open till 31 Dec 2021.

Money where my mouth is!  Please proove me wrong.

Edited September 29, 2020 by LarryH57
Spelling

[AmphibAndy]

I shall keep an eye open for a period colour photo of an RAF vehicle in Blue/grey.  You may be correct, that they don't exist. but Dad who has only recently succumbed to his old age affecting his cognitive abilities has always maintained that RAF vehicles were generally blue!   He was also in Burma I think with 152 Squadron where he was a ground Engineer on Spits, Thunderbolts and Mozzies from memory.   Here he is in an almost famous photo as I have seen it several times on the net.   He is kneeling down and holding the tail legs.    Robert ( Bob ) Honychurch bought his first Jeep in 1951 which we still have and was a very early member of MVCG ( 1974) .   Thanks to Dad taking me to Normandy with Pete Gray in 1974/5 and more I found a great hobby and met some amazing characters.  Some great memories .  

[LarryH57]

Andy, what years did your dad serve in the RAF?

BTW I was an early MVCG member 925 and went to Normandy in 1979 with Peter Gray. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by LarryH57

[AmphibAndy]

I think he was in Burma  from 1944 to 46. But during that time in other Far East Countries also 

[LarryH57]

My Dad was in Jakarta in 1946 of 31 Sqn for a short while.