Herb,
I've got a very pretty "plum' colored 1939 Code 42 too and it's a verified vet bring back that hasn't been fooled with. I wrote to John Martz about it a few years ago and he opined that it was due to the heat treating and bluing process likely being rushed to meet production demands. You seem to see it more with P-38's and certainly 1939 P-08's seem to exhibit it more than most other years. My 2 cents worth.
Lyn
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