hood numbers

[steve-0]

the hood numbers on my halftracks are far from consistent. the letter heights i come up with on them are 1 5/8", 2", 2 1/2", 3" and 4".
i think i will go with the 2"
the letter style is also interesting, i like the letter style in the first pic but haven't found a stencil like it.

the brass interlocking stencles are what im going to go with.
http://www.chhanson.com/stencilsBrass.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=shop&q=brass+stencils+2%22+numbers&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us&q=brass+stencils+2+numbers&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16993133339596196426&sa=X&ei=E2MWTs7UB_PWiAL22p3SBQ&ved=0CGwQ8wIwAw#ps-sellers

[steve-0]

maybe these magnetic stencils would be better.
http://www.nationalstencil.com/magneticboardstencil.html

also mcdavitt signs is supposed to have the magnetic according to a military memo i found online.
the following info is from that memo.

[bright87]

Hey guys-
What shade of blue do we use on early halftrack hood numbers?
Thanks-Michael

[BombFarm]

Michael,
The people at RAPCO told me that the "Drab blue" they sold was the correct color for the hood numbers. I just chechked their website to see if I was remembering the name correctly and can't find a single blue color other than an airforce related one. Hope they still carry it. Might want to call them to confirm. Here is a photo of my HT with that particular blue, just so you can see.

[bright87]

I just ordered some OD paint from them, but I could not find "drab blue" either.
Anyone have any luck with another supplier for this?
Michael

[HenryVIII]

Just wondering if anyone knows what the letters mean that are used with the numbers. I do not mean the USA, (pretty sure I got that one figured out) but I see some numbers have a W before them or a S after them. Some others I have seen are (USAW 123456). Others are (USA   W-123456).  And now I see (USA   123456S).  Also wondering when they changed colors on the numbers or letters and the stars. So far I have seen white, yellow and blue letters and white and yellow stars. Am thinking the yellow stars and blue numbers are the early models. but not sure.  Henry

[steve1973]

I know that the S after the number identifies that the track is radio suppressed or shielded for interference.

Steve A.

[bright87]

From 1942 army manual:
"Registration Numbers-In 1929 the Army Quartermaster Corps introduced a vehicle numbering system which would identify each Army vehicle.The number originally preceded by a ‘W’ for War Department. From mid 1944 on, the ‘W’ was dropped. Vehicles with a ‘K’ prefix were used by the US Signal Corps to designate special vehicles.Registration number were painted in 3” numbers (space permitting) and painted on each side of the vehicle hood or somewhere on the back of the vehicle. If the vehicle was"suppressed" in order to carry a radio the letter ‘S’ (preceded  by a dash) was applied as a suffix after the registration number. Sometimes ‘USA’ was painted before or above the registration number (again, space permitting).Prior to 1942 white or yellow was used to paint registration markings. From mid 1942 to mid 1943 registration markings applied at the manufacturer were painted in blue drab lusterless enamel by means of a stencil. From mid 1943 on, registration markings were painted in white or even yellow or black."

Now you know-
Michael

[HenryVIII]

Wow, Thanks. That's a lot of good info. Seems to me that if I was the opposing force I would concentrate my efforts on getting rid of the vehicles with the S first.

Henry

[bright87]

Of course we all know these rules were subject to interpretation by the guy holding the brush!
The hood star also changed direction sometime after the war, i forget what year-but they are different directions on my HT and my M37.
Michael

[bright87]

For any one wanting to paint their own 3" numbers and letters, I have attached the 1942 requirements.
I guess the army was really serious on the instructions.

[bright87]

Here's more information from the manual.

[prestone]

Hey Bright

Great this information about the characters

You would have no copy of the page 50 and 51

regards

Prestone

[bright87]

Whoops-my mistake! Revised with all three pages.

[RB-058]

For any one wanting to paint their own 3" numbers and letters, I have attached the 1942 requirements.
I guess the army was really serious on the instructions.

Thanks for the info Bright87! I'm putting them into AutoCad so I can have a stencil cut. Going with a stencil from grease-paper and not that fancy decal stuff. (although there's nothing wrong with that).

Rob