hood numbes

[42 chevy]

Hello all;

Wwell it is that time in the restoration to to put the stars and hood numbers on the Chevy. Vehicle was built on 12-27-40, so I know it uses the early stlye block lettering, so I have the floowing questions.

Are the hood letters 2 inches tall and does the USA go on the same line as the numbers or above them.?

Door Stars is 18 inches is this correct?

Does a star go on the hood or the roof? or both

I will be using an enginering company number for the front bumper

On the tailgate, left side

MAX SPEED
45 MPH

is this correct or does CAUTION go above?

thanks in advance

John Gott

[Colin Britton]

Hey 42 Chevy,

If you look in the historical pictures section you will find a picture I sent in for the forum.
This is a COLOR picture from WWII North Africa, with 2/505 PIR 82nd Abn. Troopers rigging up for the jump into Sicily. But behind them is a closed cab CCKW. Take a look at the markings and notice how HUGE the YELLOW ring around the star on the roof of the cab is and that there is one on the roof. There are also other things you night find interesting in the photo. Also look in the back of the 456 PFAB CCKW driving off the ramp of the LST and the fuel can rack fabricated on the rear flaps.

ATW, Doc

[Bill_Wolf]

It depends upon the age of the truck, the unit that you are going to label the truck as belonging to and the Theater of Operation it was deployed in.

Generally, a pre-Italy truck in all theaters (exdcept pacific) would have hood numbers in blue, a Star (with no surround circle) in white and bumper numbers.

The Italian campaign is when they introduced the circle around the star. This was so infantry and air units could quickly identify previously captured allied equipment being used covertly by the enemy. Some Star/Circle trucks were used in North Africa in the build up to the Italian campaign.

Early ETO/Operation Overlord and Dragoon. This was when the Star with Broken Circle was introduced. Again to distingush real allied vehicles from those in use by the enemy for infiltration purposes.

As the allies rolled across Europe and the need for vehicles became critical the star, circle/star, or circle/broken star became a mute point for far behind the lines equipment.

I have gathered this information from many articles I have read both official military and Army Motors type stuff. Please remember that field repairs, modifications, and rebuilds could result in any type of identifiication being done.

As far as size goes the Army/Army Air Corps specified in AR-850 1 thru 5 how to label vehicles. I havd put copies of those pages on the maiin website. http://www.cckw.org/tm9-850.htm. It is dated 1942 so it does not indicate the change of the top star from the roof to the hood. It also does not deal with the circle issue.

On my 1944 Chevy Fire Truck, representing my Dad's unit in the MTO (Italy summer of 1944) I located the star on the hood (which may or may not be right, but I thought it looked better....my field modification) and circle stars on the doors. I worked with Rick Larsen, who specializes in paint mask stenciling, to get the correct size for the doors and hood (his link is on our link page).

I am happy with the way it came our and see it as a true representatlion of an MTO vehicle..





My WC-54 ambulance is "starred" the same way (see my avatar)

If anyone has other information about this I would love to hear it.

Just don't make me repaint the trucks

Bill [/list]

[Matt]

I wish I could post pictures as both my Dodge WC's carry their original markings and I have CCKW and WC-56 hoods which have never been repainted since WW2.

It won't be quick but I'll try to take some pictures and I'll email them to anyone who wants to see them.

Matt.

[Karoshi]

Matt, I've said before, mail them to me and I'll post em up for you.

[Matt]

Hi Karoshi,

Thanks but I don't even have any good pics of the Dodge's that show the markings and as they are both in storage in Shropshire I can't easily go take any

I will send you that other Dodge pic and a lube chart,this week!!

Matt.

[42 chevy]

Thanks for all the replys,
yes I will be using Rick Larsen for the paint mask

[Fernando Mendes]

42 Chevy see AR-850-5 for these doubts.