M37 markings in the U.K

richard3108 · Post by **richard3108** » Sun May 10, 2009 8:57 am

Hi I am richard I live in the U.K and own a 1952 M37 . after a lot of reserch and some educated guess work I found out It served in Korea and was then sent to U.S.A.F base Sealand in Flintshire North Wales U.K. Which was 30th Air depot Wing. Does Anyone out there know how my vehicle would have been marked up. Hood numbers ect. She served at Sealand from 1953 untill 1960 and was then retired when the base was handed back to the R.A.F. and was sold by auction localy. Thank you for any help you may be able to give. Regards Richard

russcal · Post by **russcal** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:00 pm

Welcome, Richard!

Congrats on your new purchase... you'll have a lot of fun deciphering what your truck should be marked with.

Search thru old posts, you'll find many posts covering vehicle marking, especially Air Force trucks. I'm no expert, only have my truck since September, but here are a coupla' "rules of thumb" concerning how Air Force trucks were marked:

1. Truck would more than likely be finished overall in Strata Blue, unless it was a tactical vehicle. Than it might be finished in green / OD.

2. Air Force truck of that era probably wouldn't have markings on the hood, but on the drivers and passengers doors. Typical marking would be:
"U. S. AIR FORCE"
"53B 100"
"FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY"

53B is delivery year (1953), vehicle type (tactical vehicle?), and sequintial vehicle number (in this case, 100th truck)

Good luck, have fun, and keep us updated!

Russ
Proud son of Rose and Wes

richard3108 · Post by **richard3108** » Sun May 10, 2009 11:57 pm

Hi Russ many thanks for the info on markings for my Truck. As you say it was strata blue and is back to that coloure now. Sorry if I gave the impression I have only just got the truck, I have had it for about 2 years now, and have only just finished a ground up rebuild it has been a long and painfull experiance, I have lost the biggest majority of finger and thumb nails and two broken fingers and one thumb, not to mention all the tears of frustration. But at last I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and look forward to taking it to some shows this season.I think the wife and two sons are even more happy than me it is almost over as they can now put away the jacket that that only ties down the back. Regards Richard

Post by **Cal_Gary** » Mon May 11, 2009 5:52 am

Welcome aboard Richard! Glad to have you with us!
Gary

GruntMP · Post by **GruntMP** » Sat May 23, 2009 11:06 pm

Lifer and I haggled this out sometime back but I can't find the thread now! Since your truck was built in '52, it was likely to have originally been OD green, as was my '53. It likely had hood and bumper numbers, the same as were on Army trucks at the the time. It was likely to have been repainted later in Strata Blue and given only door makings in yellow paint by '58. The markings indicated by russcal are about right but I have seen period photos on pinetreeline.org, indicating the marking would have been a K rather than a B following the delivery year.

Good luck with your truck! I like hearing about another Air Force truck out there! I would be real curious to know if the RAF put their markings on the truck at any point!

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:33 am

GruntMP is correct about the letter in the ID number. "B" indicates a General Purpose vehicle, and is the normal one for a AF-owned commercial vehicle. "K" is used to identify Tactical vehicles, of which the M37 is one.

He is also correct regarding the colour. It was probably OD green from the factory with Army style hood numbers. By 1958, it would have been repainted blue with the Air Force style yellow ID markings. Between the date of acquisition and October of 1958, however, it could have had almost anything. I have seen some that had the "new" markings on the doors but still had the "old" markings on the hood (bonnet). Until the complete change was mandated in 1958, things only got changed as they needed repainting. Life wasn't easy for the NCOIC of the motor pool in those days, was it?

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:03 am

Just to add to the conversation. I have a 1953 M37 that I'm working on. So far I have found Strata blue over OD. On the frame is even more interesting. Strata blue over OD over black over red primer.

So there is some historical evidence that what has been said above is correct.

neverfinished · Post by **neverfinished** » Fri May 29, 2009 11:45 am

I have a 53 that was originally AF and learned from earlier posts about the black frame, which had me puzzled. My markings are 3A1724. As I recall from the AF painting & marking guide I have (1958 I think) -A- isn't even listed as a choice when marking. I know I have read that vehicles kept the same # throughout their service life, regardless of which branch they were used in. Is it possible that when it was transferred to the Army(SGOD over Blue and reg.# on hood) that they changed letter to A to signify Army? If anyone has any insight on this I would appreciate it. Thanks

Ted

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Sat May 30, 2009 3:17 am

neverfinished wrote: I know I have read that vehicles kept the same # throughout their service life, regardless of which branch they were used in.

This is true only within a specific branch of the armed forces. If a truck spent its entire life in the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard, for example, the number would remain the same "forever." If it was transferred to a component of the Air Force, however, the number and manner of marking would be changed to comply with that service's regulations. Although infrequent, such inter-service transfers do occur. My Air National Guard unit "inherited" an M43 and a couple of M151s from the Army National Guard that way.

neverfinished · Post by **neverfinished** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:51 am

Lifer-thanks for your response. I failed to make clear that the reg. # while obviously AF, is painted in white on the Army green. I was unable to find any original yellow AF markings on the blue, which was the base color. So, based on your info, it still remains a bit of an interesting question,unless I'm missing something in your post.Thanks again.

Ted

richard3108 · Post by **richard3108** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:00 am

Wow Chaps, what a respons. Thanks very much. I think my truck was blue from the factory, Looking as I have at the back of the dash and under the inside of bulk head there is no evidence of respray, even underside of headlight brackets were blue, thats what I had to take in to get a colour match for the paint. My truck must have spent the best part of its life at a place called Burtonwood & Sealand hear in the U.K.and would have served with the Military Air Transport Squad or the 53rd Weather Reconnassance Squad.
Answer to chap asking about R.A.F. Truck Markings, they usualy had the airforce roundel with outer circle blue then white and red centre on the wings ( Fenders) and R.A.F in white on the bumper Thanks again . Richard

pca42 · Post by **pca42** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 1:49 pm

Hi all, sorry to bring back a very old post, and to make this my first post...! Are you still a member of this forum richard3108?

If he isn't, does anyone know how to make contact with him? I've tried a PM. The reason I ask is I am based in the UK too, and have just bought an ex-USAF 1952 M37 and am wondering if it may be his old one, as I am told it's the only USAF one in the country!

Many thanks guys and girls!

Post by **Cal_Gary** » Fri Mar 31, 2017 3:15 am

Welcome PCA! Sorry to report that Richard hasn't been on the forum since 2009....
Glad to have you with us!
Gary

pca42 · Post by **pca42** » Fri Mar 31, 2017 2:15 pm

Thank you Gary. I am hoping it is the same one that Richard owned in 2009, since he managed to find out the history of his. I shall start my own thread once I have some more photos to go with it.

Pete

M37 markings in the U.K

M37 markings in the U.K

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Re: M37 markings in the U.K

Re: M37 markings in the U.K