WWII Nose Art on a M1 .30 Carbine

[linkpimp]

WWII Nose Art on a M1 .30 Carbine ~ in progress

Hey team,
I just thought I would share my latest project with you guys and I’m also looking for your advise too..

Basically I’m painting up the infamous “M1 Carbine” in a WWII nose art fashion /look.

YES, I know!.. I went against all of the “Gun Gods” and painted the 1 firearm that no one else has. I have decided to do this for the following reason.

This is how (I) wish to honor some of the greatest warriors that have come before us and I am confident enough in my skills that I will absolutely nail this project, if I wasn’t, then I wouldn’t have attempted it. I have that much respect for the Carbine and everything it once stood for and what it stands for today. (Freedom and Sacrifice) Let us never forget the greatest generation ever!.. Good bless our troops!..


Here’s a little history on this particular carbine: if you’re curious.
It’s a Universal / # 5739x ~1965/66 I think
It has the following GI parts (trigger assembly, slide with solid handle, bolt, etc,etc)..




So with that said, lets begin..

I dismantled the M1 as far as I dare go, then I sprayed everything down with Duracoat’s Truestrip Cleaner / Degreaser. This stuff works GREAT for what it worth.

After degreasing all of the parts, everything was lightly sanded with 400 gr paper, then washed off with just water and thoroughly dried.

At this point I sprayed everything down with two light coats of Bulldog, BD is an Adhesive promoter and never let me down..

After waiting for the BD to dry (15 min) I started on my initial base coat and covered everything in an Urban Mirage White. It’s really more of a storm cloud look, IMO anyway.. now that I’ve got everything dry I’m putting her back together so I can continue on with the base colors.

Sanded and clean, ready for paint

After the first 2 coats of Bulldog and ready for the base color

 

[linkpimp]

Now it time to tape up lower portion of the rifle and add the reaming base coat. I actually ended up mixing (or trying to) a 1946 WWII green, personnaly I’m kina liking it.

Hanging out to dry for 24 hrs,

Ok, so here’s what we have so far, the bodies base coat complete and it’s time to start on the nose art.

 

[linkpimp]

I’m looking at a few different looks, see anything that you like team?.

 

[linkpimp]

I’m really feeling a “Semper Fi” theme on the other side;

Well that’s all I got team, so far at least.. I’m hoping to have this side complete by Friday so I can start on the side and next week..

Thank you for your time everyone and have a great one

Link

 

[Walter Zoomie]

I concur. Ditch the Air Corp theme on this one and go ground-pounder or armored division (Hell On Wheels would be cool).

I mean, how many B-17s were equipped with carbines?

 

[CandRFan]

I'm digging these two.

But Zoomie does have a point...maybe celebrating the queen of the battlefield, or going with armor, would be an even better way to honor those great warriors since it was those men that would have relied on the M1 for their lives.

 

[451_Detonics]

How about a classic that was destroyed within weeks of being painted. This was put on a KC 135 (air to air refueling) that was headed for the sand...as soon as it arrived it was ordered painted out.

or if the Army gets a vote some classic Nam 1st Cav nose art...

 

[Mitch B]

I’m looking at a few different looks, see anything that you like team?.

These two are my favorite! Keep us posted on your progress. I’m sure it will be awesome as usual.

 

[JByer323]

These two are my favorite! Keep us posted on your progress. I’m sure it will be awesome as usual.

Agreed, both the valkyrie and chick riding the bomb are pretty awesome.

 

[Hkindiana]

What a waste of a nice piece of walnut.

 

[misconfig]

Dude I LOVE your art!

 

[linkpimp]

Damm… You guys are good.. I was struggling with the “feel of it”.. When I really sat down and thought about It, it’s just too me at least it really represents the USMC.. Rough and ready.. I’m actually re-thinking / reviewing pic..

I’m thinking about going back and painting it up in one solid color and really working it over a USMC WWII nose art theme..

I doooo really, really appreciate the nose art pic’s that have been posted up.. Thank you..

This one is *****en, I’ll be using this one on something..

I concur. Ditch the Air Corp theme on this one and go ground-pounder or armored division (Hell On Wheels would be cool).

I mean, how many B-17s were equipped with carbines?

Agreed.. and pont well taken actually.. thank you.. I’m going to look into those divisions

Thank you..

These two are my favorite! Keep us posted on your progress. I’m sure it will be awesome as usual.

thanks for the input MB.. I will post updates as soon as I know what I'm doing hahaha.. I'm thinking USMC look.. eitehr way sir it should be cool..

Dude I LOVE your art!

Thank you for the kind words.. I really like to hear that..



Anyway.. I’m sorry team, I really don't have an update for the team, other than I’m kinda looking for "Conformation" that the USMC theme is the right thing to do..

Thank you again for your time team, and have a great one

Link.

 

[451_Detonics]

Tough for me to vote for a jarhead logo when I was Cav but I agree it is more fitting than either Air Force or Air Corp nose art.

and the forearm really needs the Cobra shark teeth...

 

[sparky241]

i usually like to see this, however not on a wwII rifle though

 

[Griffeycom]

i usually like to see this, however not on a wwII rifle though

Technically it's not. The "rifle"/receiver is a Universal, post-war commercial manufacture. Some of the insides are USGI though.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

Link:

Do a search on Army and Marine infantry unit insignia during WW2. There were many colorful examples.

Maybe do a search on units based in your area, and make it more personal, or, if you had a relative who served in a combat unit, find out what his insignia was.

 

[DragonGunner]

Since you said the Carbine is a Universal, around 1965, I would vote for a Nam look on it an not a WWII one on this one....You can can always pick up a WWII Carbine an do that sometime.....

 

[linkpimp]

Hey team, first and foremost thank you all for the comments above and my deepest apologies for not responding sooner.. I got laid off from my job and.. Well I had more important things to do at time.. I’m sure you all understand..


Anyway / So time marches on and I finally finished up my M1 Car.. It turned out ok.. but unfortunately not great and nothing I’m really too exciting about other than of course its different. My biggest problem was that I couldn’t do WWII art, the Marines don't have any, so I was extremely limited to what I could find. Which means I’ll probably end up repainting it in about a year or so.. Oooo well…

I finished up the dog and it turned out pretty cool

I still have some touch up left, but you get the general idea.

 

[linkpimp]

Then I moved on to the left side of the rifle and added the Marine raider emblem

 

[linkpimp]

Then I moved on to the left side of the rifle and added the Marine raider emblem