Looking for Canadian M151A2 Pictures....

Eric B · #1 01-10-08, 18:46

Hello

After an extensive search i have found the proper CDN Camo paint.

From the Canadian Govt Specifications Board ,manual 1-GP-12 and using the DND Camo pattern the proper colours are

Olive Green 503-321 (Olive Drab) NSN8010-21-870-7533
Green 503-319 (pea/light green) NSN8010-21-576-2558 (This is not to be confused with the earlier 503-319 from 1957,which was much darker)
Black 512-301 NSN8010-21-576-1987

I tried searching for the equivalent in the currently used Federal Standards (US) which replaced the CDN Specifications in 1991.
There are no crossover references and the CDN Govt was unable to provide any help.

I also contacted all of the paint manufactureres who are named on my original cans, no help there except for PPG who wishes to see my paint samples to look up their current stock by scanning. (Don't think it will be there though, but will try).

Camo paints from the US are cheaper and are close, but i have noticed that there is indeed a difference.

Fortunetly i had an original can of Olive Drab 503-321, and a can of green 512-319, (which i had made by mistake over 15 years ago and did not know what it was), i painted samples and had scanned.

If you go the automotive paint route you will be paying big dollars and will have to add a flattener. This will also be in acrylic paint as Oil based automotive paints in Canada are being phased out.

If you go by direct application industrial paint, which is oil, it comes already flat and is aprox $85.00 a gallon.

Clive Law of Service Publications will be the first to have his M38A1 CDN painted with the new paint by fellow collector Don Dingwall.

The paint samples seem to have a nice contrast with each other and the colours work nicer together than the faded original samples. As on my M151 A2 or my M38A1. (Which explains why we chose that colour to begin with.)
The faded look just does not give it justice.

Based on the outcome we will post the data and hopefully a photo of the finished product so that everybody will have access to these unique CDN colours.

Stay tuned... I know there are already two others locally waiting in line for these paints including myself.

I also have the info on the two shades of CDN gloss green available.
I will check if these are also available in the direct application paints. One is greener and the other one darker than the US shades currently available.

503-121 Olive Green NSN8010-21-898-1723
This is the gloss version of the 503-321 in the camo.

Will have to compare the other sample to my Specs book for the proper number when i get it back.

Thanks

Eric Ottawa

rob love · #2 02-10-08, 02:20

Way to go Eric. It would be nice if the codes were available to be made up in any location.

A couple days back I was in a Kingston Ontario surplus store and thought I had hit paydirt when I saw a can and a case of two cans of Cdn olive drab sitting on the floor for sale. On closer inspection I realized the cans were the non skid paint which would be applied to the top of fenders or onto the tailgates of the trucks. We used to filter the pebbles out of this paint back when it was hard to find the olive drab. I would have bought them, but unfortunately I was flying home, and didn't have any way of getting them home.

Eric B · #3 02-10-08, 17:57

When we receive the paint i'll make sure we share any details on it.

I'll get the brand of the paint and see if there is a national colour code on it.

I know there is a local paint code and the store is Metro paints, but that does not help those outside Ottawa.

Eric

Scott Bentley · #4 04-10-08, 18:57

Does anyone know what the shelf life is like on the Issue OD Paint?

Reason I ask, i've seen many Gallon Cans of it kicking around at work, but wondered if its past its usable life.

Scotty

rob love · #5 05-10-08, 02:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by armybuck041

Does anyone know what the shelf life is like on the Issue OD Paint?

Reason I ask, i've seen many Gallon Cans of it kicking around at work, but wondered if its past its usable life.

Scotty

2 to 3 years is optimum, but if you stir it long enough, even 10 year old paint will be fine.
One thing to watch out for is if the paint is frozen, it will shine too much.

Scott Bentley · #6 05-10-08, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob love

2 to 3 years is optimum, but if you stir it long enough, even 10 year old paint will be fine.
One thing to watch out for is if the paint is frozen, it will shine too much.

Thanks Rob,

I guess the challenge now is to find a couple of cans that havn't been opened at some point and then tossed in a paint locker for a half dozen years.

Phil Waterman · #7 05-10-08, 18:34

I must admit to having reactivated some very old military paint by adding the proper thinner/reducer and mixing like hell. Yup I've even used a blender. While I have never painted a vehicle with it I have done touch up and new parts with pretty good results. The blender works really good on turning that lump of flattening compound into use-able compound again.

Obviously what you are looking to do is restore the proper viscosity and to strain out any lumps.

Cheers

rob love · #8 05-10-08, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by armybuck041

Thanks Rob,

I guess the challenge now is to find a couple of cans that havn't been opened at some point and then tossed in a paint locker for a half dozen years.

Are you looking at cans of the old IRR paint? The last NSNs for the stuff was in the range of 8010-21-880-9629, 9630 and 9650. If your NSN on the can is different, watch if you are using the newer CARC paint as it has some very serious health implications when sprayed. If brushed on it is OK, but will be quite shiny. Also, the CARC paints are not matches to the Cdn colour scheme.

There was an interim Cdn Carc in the 8010-21-980 range if I recall, but it did not see widespread issue, and the eventual CARC paint should have an American NSN, which is in the 8010-01- NSN range. All these numbers are from memory mind you, so take them with a grain of salt.