The red colour is too pink in this scanned image. It is basically identical to the WWII version except that that was a water transfer. Peel and stick decal from after WWII.ġ Canadian Infantry Division jeep decal (peel & stick) likely dating from the 1950s as used on vehicles and artillery spotting L-19 aircraft. 1 Canadian Infantry Division formation sign. After WWII, peel and stick decals came into use. This saved many hours of work and greatly improved the quality. The decals were for the formation signs, and for background colours for unit signs. By 1944, transfers (water based decals) were being made and issued for marking vehicles. Although it is civilian, it shows the technique of the day. Civilian, but the technology was the same. Sign painting on trucks in 1945 from Popular Mechanics Shop Notes. Here is an article from the 1945 POPULAR MECHANICS SHOP NOTES which illustrates a similar procedure. army sleeping pads today) work well in lieu of a stencil brush.
![willys serial tags willys serial tags](http://wwiijeepparts.com/WW2/Photos/19411942194319441945MilitaryJeeps/JeepSerialNumberFrameLateWillysMBTag.jpg)
He took a stencil brush and stippled (dabbed).
![willys serial tags willys serial tags](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JMYAAOxydlFS-kE1/s-l300.jpg)
His white paint was very thick to prevent runs. He took the brass stencils, and slid them together. He would then snap the line to deposit a chalk line on the door of the truck. He told me that he would take a string, rub it in chalk, then place it along to bottom (?) of the place he was to paint the numbers. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada had one, and Doug Lunn was one for a Canadian General Hospital overseas.ĭoug gave me a set of his brass stencils for letters/numbers, 4″ high, and many were C/|\ marked. Each unit tended to have a sign-painter, sometimes someone who had been a sign painter in civilian life.
![willys serial tags willys serial tags](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0JEAAOSw-zpiDEN~/s-l300.jpg)
CANADIAN MILITARY VEHICLE MARKINGS OVERSEAS How did they put the markings on? At first, they were all stencilled or hand painted by a sign-painter. Some fortunate exceptions are the British Army (post-war) and the US Navy (which also covered the US Marine Corps). The military forces of the world usually destroy army vehicle records. Too many collectors have sandblasted a vehicle and then asked what the history of their vehicle was. If you have an old military vehicle, remember that its history is usually in the MARKINGS. Most of the time these markings are lost forever. After military service, most vehicles are repainted, and even those that survive in original paint jobs often have the markings painted out by the military before being sold surplus. I always hate to see a vehicle that an owner has spent sometime over $10,000 and years restoring, and seeing them put incorrect markings on, or put on ‘correct’ markings in a wrong fashion.
![willys serial tags willys serial tags](http://www.carnut.com/show/01/lou/nat464.jpg)
This is an aspect of our history that is often little understood and in a restored military vehicle, makes all the difference if done well, or badly. This will include markings painted on vehicles, transfers (decals) which came out during WWII which speeded up the process, vehicle flags and licence plates etc. This page will be developed over time and the emphasis will be on CANADIAN military vehicle markings and paint schemes from all periods. The markings serve not only to identify a particular vehicle, but also to identify the unit and formation that it was serving in. MILITARY VEHICLE MARKINGS IN GENERAL As long as there have been military vehicles – which admittedly are often identical to thousands of other such vehicles, there have been markings. It is carrying at least one wireless set. They added roof, doors, flag staff and light and extension on rear of vehicle. Major-General Worthington in the 4th Armoured Division GOC’s jeep Late 1943 or January 1944 L&AC W-LU GOC_4th Canadian Armoured Division (Canadian Army PA211629_jpeg) This appears to the the same jeep as in the colour photo above, just after it was customized for the General Officer Commanding 4 Canadian Armoured Division.