Need some clarification on M880 Camo Pattern

[bracketracer]

Folks,
I drove an M1028A2 CUCV while in the 10th Mountain Division in '92-'94, and I am also a model car builder. As a result, I have always had a nostalgic love for military light commercial vehicles. I want to do some military replicas of the M880 now that a Dodge truck model of that vintage has been re-released. I need some assistance from you M880 experts out there regarding camoflage for these vehicles. I found a great graphic from TB 43-0209 pages 46-47 that gives me awesome detail of the proper camo pattern, BUT it looks like a paint-by-numbers picture, and doesn't designate which number should be which color. It just lists 1, 2, & 3. If I am doing a model of a Green, Brown & Black 3-tone camo, can anyone give me some proper guidance on what colors equate to each number? Any advice or pictures with original 3-tone camo will be greatly appreciated!

 

[bracketracer]

I also would appreciate input on what color the interior seat and dashboard would have been originally. I assume the floors were just black rubber or vinyl.

 

[Flyingvan911]

They have the colors and numbers listed but they don’t stand out and are hard to find. 1-Black 2-Green 3-Brown. I found that printing out the pages and coloring them in with colored pencils really helps when you are actually painting the vehicle.

 

[bracketracer]

Thank you very much for the info!

 

[bracketracer]

I am so glad that I stumbled on this website! Not only because I was able to get this info so quickly, but because there are so many great pictures and so much great information on vehicles that I am very interested in. Thank you!

 

[diesel583]

Interior on mine is black, seat, dash and door panels

 

[BKubu]

While I have seen some M880s in the 3 color NATO camo scheme, most would have been the MERDC 4 color camo, or solid green.

 

[bracketracer]

Thank you!

 

[BKubu]

I should add the clarification that most m880s would have started off either solid green or 4 color MERDC as those were the prevailing colors in the 70s. Then, they may have been repainted with 3 color camo in the 80s. Either is correct depending upon the time period you are trying to portray. David Doyle may have some information on this. His screen name is DDOYLE on this list. You may want to send him a PM.

 

[bracketracer]

Bruce, thanks for that confirmation. MERDC would certainly be more common, and I guess more “authentic”, but I’m a sucker for NATO 3-color, LOL!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

I should add the clarification that most m880s would have started off either solid green or 4 color MERDC as those were the prevailing colors in the 70s. Then, they may have been repainted with 3 color camo in the 80s. Either is correct depending upon the time period you are trying to portray. David Doyle may have some information on this. His screen name is DDOYLE on this list. You may want to send him a PM.

Were any of them built for the Air Force and thus painted Strata Blue???

 

[bracketracer]

From the research I have done, it sounds like most came from the factory in solid green. However, if it was a truck that went to the Air Force (that would never have left a stateside base and been considered "tactical") it might very well have ended up painted Strata Blue. I plan to take some "artistic liberties" and paint one up as an Air Force Strata Blue truck. I have also seen pictures of a Marine M880 that was painted completely light tan. I thought it looked pretty sharp too. Once I build these, I will have to post some pictures on here.

 

[Flyingvan911]

TB 43-0209 is also a good source for making coloring books for kids who like military vehicles. Just FYI.

 

[BKubu]

Were any of them built for the Air Force and thus painted Strata Blue???

Great question. I don't know the answer to that. I would guess the USAF used them, but I don't know what color they would have been.

 

[nattieleather]

All the ones I saw in the 80's where that dark green that the Air Force started using in the 70's instead of the blue.

 

[Bob H]

 

[bracketracer]

Thanks for posting those pictures Bob H!

 

[nattieleather]

Picture one how the AF trucks looked with black stenciling on the doors "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" etc.

 

[Super Warrantman]

The interior of my M882 is all black - seat, door panels, and dashboard (pad). The floor covering is just a black rubber mat. I don't recall any variation in the interior color scheme in the M880s I drove back in the 1970s. I don't remember what the majority of the trucks were painted back in the day, but will accept that MERDC was most commonly applied in the 70s if the type experts say so.

 

[busbart]

All Dodges came from the factory in forrest green. Once arrived on the base, it was the commanders decision which type of MERCD camo to use depending on the surrounding terrain/saison.(i.e. summer, winter red desert or yellow desert) and how to apply, paint booth, or brush, hence all the variations.

Also I noticed that (it's my experience) Mercd camo you hardly see while 3 color nato is much easier to spot.