# G519 Color ?



## Sandman (May 18, 2020)

Did all G519 bicycles ship from the factory OD and then the other branch's required to paint the appropriate color ?


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## Mercian (May 19, 2020)

Hi, @Sandman

As far as we know, yes. 

Also, when NOS spare parts turn up, such as these, which are known: wheel rims, handlebars, seat chassis', Columbia rear mudguards, lights, bells, they are also painted OD direct from the contractor, so they could be fitted without needing to be painted to match.

Best regards,

Adrian


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## Sandman (May 19, 2020)

Mercian said:


> Hi, @Sandman
> 
> As far as we know, yes.
> 
> ...




Thank You


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## Mercian (May 20, 2020)

Hi @Sandman 

No Problem (-:

Just to add a little more, other branches weren't required to repaint them. It's true that some turn up with military applied paint in Airforce Blue, Yellow etc. but the Airforce Blue ones are probably from postwar service, the yellow ones could be wartime, for high visibility use on airfields, in dockyards etc.

Otherwise, they tend to be OD, and the markings are basic, perhaps painted in light blue (a standard WW2 marking colour), yellow or white, and consisting of perhaps a fleet number, or a a user's name, the bicycle frame number in a more accessible place, or a unit (also sometimes painted on a plate mounted between the frame bars). All of these are fairly rare to see, and vary considerably in font and format, since there was no official policy.

Finally, there are 'G519' type bicycles made under contract for the USMC. I have never seen one in the metal, but I'm told that they were painted the USMC Forest Green N°11 from the factory. Here are some colour comparisons.



			http://www.ak-masters.com/app/tut/US-WWII.pdf
		


Best Regards;

Adrian


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## Sandman (May 20, 2020)

Thank You Adrian

Like many others I am also putting together a tribute bike using a post war frame . I have came across some WW2 Seabees Transfers By Meyercord , dated 7-5-42 and I wanted utilize these on a US Navy painted replica .






Thank You
Jeff


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## Mercian (May 20, 2020)

Hi Jeff,

I still have a few bits of WW2 SeaBees uniform and equipment around (-:

Those transfers are nice, it seems a pity to use them for that, and I understand it's quite easy to make waterslide transfers. The insignia was only approved on March 5th 1942, so these seem very early.





__





						Seabee Insignia
					

During the early part of 1942, Frank Iafrate, a clerk at the Naval Air Station Quonset Point, was approached by a LT Shilstone and asked to create an insignia for a group of 250 men he was in charge of. The group was a new special group of Navy men who were being trained by civilians in...




					www.history.navy.mil
				




However, they are yours to do as you wish. If you do use them, I'd suggest probably putting them on a plate between the bars is best, as a flat surface, and you can always take the plate off and save them, should you decide to do something else.

30 years ago, I had a friend in the UK called Jim Turnbull who bought an ex US forestry jeep that had been imported into the UK. When he started restoring it, it turned out to be a very late Willys MB, probably built in the last week of manufacture in 1945. Under the forestry paint it was Forest Green, and had water slide transfers similar to yours on the rear quarter and the flat of the windscreen panel. It also had the remains of a huge one on the bonnet (hood), where you normally associate the star to be. He was able to save the ones on the windscreen and body, but the one on the hood had to be repainted.

So, yes, it's a feasible marking for a SeaBee vehicle. (-:

Let us see it when it's finished.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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