[Milsurplus] RBK-13 question

[Dave]

Many thanks, Todd.

Had a good look at these today and there is no indication of any black 
paint on these at all. Even the inside of the front panel is grey as 
well as under the ID plates ( rivetted ) and under the schematic plate 
under the lid on the cabinet. I guess these must be a couple that were 
stripped and resprayed.

As these are in Australia, I guess the question is whether they were 
done by the U.S. Navy, the Australian Navy or some other organisation 
afterward. As rust is coming through the grey paint, I think I'll strip 
and return them to black after treatment.

Both are dated as being accepted by the U.S. Navy in March of 1945.

Cheers
Dave
VK4KDP
Queensland
Australia

On 04-Aug-10 11:52 PM, Todd, KA1KAQ wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 4:15 AM, Dave<davprin1 at optusnet.com.au>  wrote:
>
>    
>> Were the RBK-13's painted this colour as standard?
>>      
> I've had a number of them Dave, all were black wrinkle. The front
> panel is actually an imitation cracked leather look, stamped into the
> steel. Most likely these were repainted later either while still in
> service or by a later owner. It wouldn't surprise me if you checked
> around the front panel for nicks and found black paint beneath, though
> the stamped or engraved panel made stripping and repainting easy
> enough. Different services/countries had their own requirements of
> course, and some probably used them far beyond their life in the US
> Navy.
>
> AFAIK, the battleship gray paint was only original to the later RBK-16
> which had a smooth, silkscreened panel. The 1950s version of the
> S-36A, and last in the line.
>
> ~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4
>
>