question WW2 black out white edgings

[champman]

Hi all. As I understand it in WW2 vehicles had their wing edges and cills painted white so as to be seen during the black out. Does anyone know if these markings were ever used post war? I have seen a Champ photo of 1955 with what appears to be these black out markings but they may just be for embelishment. Thanks for any help on this.

[tim gray]

Hi thier,

 

To be frank i have not actually seen this put into practice on a military vehicle, i thought it was for civi cars and

trucks.

 

Would the markings on the champ be relevant to a military unit, MP,S or the like??

 

Regards

 

Tim

[JohnA61]

My neighbour has a Champ with these markings.Dont know if its original.My Champ had white edges to the bumpers as per BAOR.

[champman]

Hi, thanks for replies.

My thoughts are the same, that white edgings were probably only for civi vehicles but having seen the 1955 photo of the Champ with what looked like white edged wing and cill markings I did wonder.

White tipped bumpers: these are standard RMP markings.

Looking at a lot of in-service pics of Champs it always amazes me how different Units did things - Bridge Plates are another example.

White edging all around a Champ today?, I never say any markings are wrong, I just say I haven't seen them before.

Thanks again.

[Gordon_M]

You have to think about it and know the circumstances. A lot of people were killed in the blackout in vehicle-related accidents.

 

Some time early in the war it became practice in the UK for vehicles to have thin white edges ( usually 1" ) added to bumpers / fenders / wings just for visibility purposes. They soon appeared on military vehicles too.

 

As the war progressed a lot of these markings on military vehicles were re-applied, and they tended to get done larger and more crudely as time went on. It's not uncommon to find late WW2 images of trucks in service with a lot of white paint on bumpers and wings. I'm assuming as you are talking Champs you are talking much later, but the same sort of logic should apply.

 

So, early= no white outlining or very small edge, late = more white paint.

 

The same sort of logic applies to ambulance signs - started small and got bigger, and the invasion star-in-a-circle, carefully stencilled at first with broken circle due to stencil marking, then repainted larger and uglier in unbroken circle.

Edited May 5, 2010 by Gordon_M

[champman]

Thanks Gordon

If military vehicles had blackout white edging I guess that this would be in a friendly country because white edging is the opposite of camouflage.

So, apart from RMP white markings, did the military ever carry on white edging in the 1950's for any reason? (excluding, 'I want to be able to find my vehicle in the car park.)

[Gordon_M]

I'm not aware of any white edging that made it into the '50s, but then it isn't my period.

 

I associate white edging with blackout circumstances in WW2. Post-WW2 ( as today ) you have a damn great army truck painted OD green, with lots of extra reflectors on the back and usually running with headlights and taillights on so you can see it - or at least not be able to sue them for not seeing it, if you get the difference.

 

Champs, to me, are mostly shiny green creatures, except when they go on holiday and go that nice desert sand colour, but I think you need more Champ-period-specific advice.

 

anyone ?

 

Gordon

[champman]

Hi Gordon, ".. or at least not be able to sue them for not seeing it, ..", reminds me of a true story in America, a woman pulled out in front of an ordinary army truck and her defence was that the vehicle was designed not to be seen so she didn't see, she got off.

Just love the Champ going on holiday!!!