Usmc yellow

[GUNNY 155]

I know there has been some discussion on this in the past but those of us with USMC rigs seem to have a had time getting the correct yellow for lettering which based on what I have found is Federal Standard Number
23538 or 33538 depending if you are looking at semi gloss (2) or flat (3). Since I am getting ready to do the lettering on my restoration I did some test stenciling with what I thought was the "correct yellow". It was sort of close but far to orange and worse it was high gloss. So I purchased a number of other cans from various folks who advertised their product as USMC Yellow. All were yellow but all failed to deliver anything close enough to even consider using. I was coming to the conclusion no one makes the actual color anymore and even came up empty looking on the internet. Then since I am also a model builder I looked in my basement shop and found just what I needed, Testors Model Master Insignia Yellow 33538. It is a solvent based enamel but the down side is it only comes in a 1/2 oz jar. Since marines do not mark their vehicles with a lot of lettering and stuff I think a few jars and an airbrush should do the trick since once thinned you get about 3/4 of an oz. per jar. I will do a test stencil to make sure the paint will not react in a negative way with the GCI base color but I think this will work. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[wb1895]

Have you tried to have the correct color matched at an auto parts store? Some auto paint places can scan and match paint, like Lowe's does.

 

[nattieleather]

About 20 years ago a guy I know did a M38A1 in USMC and he said he used traffic line paint that he got at the home improvement store. The only problem is he had to hold the can upside down to spray it. Yes I've used testors for touch up paint when doing cammo paint on vehicles. The stuff is great and doesn't react to the GI paint.

 

[SCSG-G4]

If you have the FSS code 33538, you can get it at Home Depot in quarts or gallons. It's called Behr Premium Ultra Base 4300, and the code. To get the code the paint dept needs to do the following. On the mixing computer they need to go to 'competitive paints', select that, then get the list, scroll down to find FSS (Federal Supply Service), select that, and it will come up with a screen with two boxes, the top box is for a name, and the bottom box is for a number. Have them type the '33538' into the bottom box and press 'enter'. There will appear a yellow patch of color on the screen. Tell then "That's It", mix me a (quart, gallon, etc) of that. Until it's dry it is a latex paint, but once dried it is acrylic. HTH

 

[Woodsplinter]

When I painted my deuce I used Rapco Marine Corp forest green, semi-gloss, #24052. For the yellow lettering I used rattle cans of Rust-oleum #7747 Sunburst yellow. I used the gloss enamel but it may be available in flat or satin.

 

[emmado22]

Beechwood canvas sells spray cans of the right color yellow.

 

[M813rc]

Gunny, the only problem with using the model paint is that it seems to have a VERY short lifespan in the sun before it fades out. Being a model builder myself, I used some Testors on my Unimog markings, they lasted only about two weeks in the sun before bleaching out badly. You might want to do a test shot on something and leave it outside before you paint your vehicle.

Semper Fi.
Cheers....R

 

[GUNNY 155]

OK boys here is what I came up with as a solution and as usual it was the result of all your input. I went to my local auto body supply store and they were able to mix me up a quart of "Old Cat Yellow" using DuPont Centari enamel. I went with the Old Cat Yellow simply because in daylight the FSS 23538 yellow just looked too yellow from what I remember from my Marine Corp days. Or maybe we could not get the authorized stuff through the supply chain and just got some yellow from a local vendor. Centari is a straight enamel and will not react with the GCI base coat USMC Forest Green. The auto body supply store also provided me with a flattener to mix with the Centari enamel so I can take it to anything from a semi gloss to a dead flat. Bear in mind the base color needs to cure 30 days before applying paint stencil masks and another paint product over it to avoid problems. BTW Woodsplinter you have a mighty fine looking Duce.

 

[67Beast]

I have used two different colors from Duplicolor in spray cans before. DA-1663 is School bus yellow and has more of an orange-ish tint and DA-1687 is chromate yellow and is a bit of a brighter yellow. I have found both at my local NAPA.

 

[GUNNY 155]

Can't help you with that one. I got my USMC semi gloss forest green from RAPCO. I used Martin Senour medium fast CR232 enamel reducer from NAPA to thin it with for spraying using a DeVilbis Finish Line HVLP gun at 50 psi at the (single stage) regulator on the compressor. I think I used a 4 to 1 ratio for thinning. Not a single run anywhere and the stuff is dry to the touch if a few hours. Mine was a frame off restoration and I think I used about 5 gallons of color with completely painting everything. If your just doing the exterior it would figure out to be much less product.