Factory Markings for August 1944 Dodge WC51?

[armyairforce]

After 13 years as a Flying Control vehicle, I'm returning my WC51 to olive drab. Stripping it back, I've found signs of Norwegian markings and those of private owners, but little else. On the hood under the checkers, it was olive drab straight onto metal, no other layers of paint, unlike the rest of the Dodge, so no signs of original numbers.

So how would the Dodge have left the factory? Blue drab or white registration? What size and style of star? Any "No Signals" and "Left Hand Drive" markings on the rear body or canvas?

I've struggled to find any clear drawings on the net and found very few original rear views. Modern restorations seem to show all sorts of combinations of marking sizes and positions. Is that because nobody is sure!!

[Gordon_M]

My best guess would be USA + number in 2" characters plus an S for Suppressed in white three times Steve, and that would be your lot.
4" characters were dropped when numbers got longer, blue drab dropped before 1944.

That's not much, you say, what about the rest?

Shipping stencils would be applied in the US at Hampton Roads or similar, but only if it was shipped as a complete vehicle and not a single, twin, or multiple unit pack for local assembly.
"Caution Left Hand Drive" would have been applied locally in the UK if it was used here, by the using arm.

[armyairforce]

Cheers, that's a start.

What about positioning? Star size and style etc. No need for an invasion star on an 8th Air Force airfield; so plain star and no ring?

Where would the registration be? Obviously on each side of the hood.....but the third on the tailgate?

I found shipping data stencilled onto the rear face of the right fender today. I don't belive it is original, so possibly the Norwegian owner, two owners before me. Was that an accurate location?

It's going to be another 8th Air Force vehicle, so would have the LHD warning. Was there a standard location? On preserved vehicles, I've seen that both on the canvas and on the rear face of the back panels, either side of the tail gate. 40MPH one side, the LHD warning the other.

[armyairforce]

Fender shipping stencil, presumably from the Norwegian collector, as it isn't on the base layer of paint.



Traces of the "No Signals" and "Caution Left Hand Drive" stenciling on the rear. Again, I don't believe they are original.

[Gordon_M]

Each side of hood, USA and number. Letter S same size just forward of hood edge, look for contemporary photos.

Shipping stencil original US when shipped out as Marshall Plan aid to Norway.

Eighth Air Force markings on bumpers would be 8* xxxBG. on one side and function / vehicle number on the other. Star on hood, each side, and tailgate per AR-850. Left Hand Drive and so on anywhere visible.

Because the entire country was blacked out there was more and more white edging / outlining as the war went on. Think outside tenges of bumpers, rear body corners and so on.Enough to be visible but not silly.

[MikeKB]

I have a 1942 WC 51 built in December of 1942 I found the original Star and numbers on the hood and took photos of it with measurements. Reply to my email address I will send you pictures that I've taken for your reference. I can't seem to post them on this site as they are considered too large.
mkleinbeekman@gmail.com

[armyairforce]

.....Reply to my email address....

You're about 6 months too late! The Dodge has been repainted since October last year! Thanks anyway.