There was a recent post on the color of the Nam era M706. The color mentioned was OD + Black. Does this mean they mixed OD and Black together for a darker color or some were painted OD and some were painted black. Below is a pic of the one that im building. Its sort of hard to tell if its OD or Black.

I've had the same issue with the color used, not only for the Commandos, but M151s, M35s, other tactical trucks as well. The majority of reference photos are in black and white, but still lend more than a little weight to the possibility that there was a flat OD, a semi-gloss OD, then this home-brewed dark almost black OD as well.

Regarding the Passport to Hell vehicle, try a 50/50 mix of gloss black with flat OD and see what the shading comes out to be after spraying a test portion. Adjust accordingly, to suit your preferences and references.

Now, at some point I'll have to try my own medicine on this same issue!

Read a few places that some CO's liked the darker version so when a repaint came up, black was mixed with the stock OD to make the CO happy.

I believe some M706/V100s' were painted straight black.
Of course I'm no expert on this era,
and in the Navy it was---- If it's Gray--- it's OK!.......

Regulation color would have been FS-24087 semigloss Olive Drab in the FS-595a color guide or FS-24084 in the current version, FS-595b. It was already a very dark color, and as mentioned, during the Cold War period, some commanders ordered that black be mixed with the Olive Drab, so you see different shades.
Tamiya JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force) Olive Drab is reportedly a decent match to the 1960's color.

Thanks guys Ill mix a little black with some OD and see how it comes out. May have to try the color Gerald mentioned.

Like I said earlier, I'm a coward, and will patiently be waiting to hear how your paint job comes out with the black/OD mix!

I think you better can wait for a member that goes by the name off animal.
Or try to PM him..
He knows

The basic MP-s version in the Ssaigon area were the Black/OD Green. The ones we had on the Security convoy teams were these and the all black ones with the nose art like we did to our gun trucks.

Hello gents,
Some weeks ago I asked James Lyles (The Hard Ride - Vietnam Gun Trucks) to solve this problem; this was his answer:
"Some V-100/XM706's were indeed painted black just like gun trucks. Other V-100s had diesel fuel rubbed into the paint until they turned darker and darker, appearing to be black, while others were repainted with olive drab mixed with black making them appear black."

Michael

Gerald,

a) regulation was for X-24087, not 24087; 595A 24087 wasn't approved for procurement until 1972, and matched 24084 only in the 595A system in 1984. The 595b & later 24084 is completely different

b) Tamiya JGSDF in not X-24087, 24087, or 24084. Its more like 24050

c) vehicles were repainted just prior to deployment to Vietnam in dark Olive Green, and there were different variations of Olive Green. Cookie Sewell iirc has called it something like a 24083 color.

You can see more color pics of this color in David Dolyles new M113 book by squadron. Lots of color photos in there.

I find your usage of the tem "OD Green" quite interesting. There is a vet here at work who was at Ft. Ord & repainted AFVs for shipment to Vietnam, and he also uses the term "OD Green". I'd sure like to find a bucket of 1960s 24064 & put some black in it to see what comes out of the mix