question Hood numbers

[KMF]

Can anyone answer this question about hood numbers. If a jeep is allocated to USAAF 8th airforce, would the hood number be marked USAAF or just USA. If it was marked USAAF would the actual number remain the same or would it have a new one alocated

[Willyslancs]

:thumbsup:

[Gordon_M]

During WW2 the USA number would have remained the same, as the USAAF was part of the Army for logistical purposes till about 1947 ( I think ) or whenever it became the USAF.

 

Since the majority of USAAF vehicles were used inside the UK for most of WW2 they were prone to getting personalised with crew names and crew art, but the ordinary Army stuff was often neglected, things like carbine carriers, spare wheels and brackets, hood and frame.

They were also prone to the common carrying modification of getting the rear bumperettes turned upside down so the flat faces could be stood on and stored on.

 

Best pictorial references are the Roger A Freeman books like The Mighty Eighth although understandably the emphasis there is on the planes and faces.

[earlymb]

It would have been USAAF and the number should start with 20. The bumpersmarkings would have been:

 

- first group: '8', followed by a small white 5-pointed star

- second group: xxxFG or BG

- third group: xxxSQ-xx

 

Example: 8(star)......156FG...... 231SQ-7

 

Indicating 8th Airforce, 156th Fighter Group, 231th Squadron, vehicle number 7 (probably not an existing unit :-D ).

 

Of course there will always be deviations, but I think this should give you some ideas.

 

Greetz

 

David

[paul a]

It would have been USAAF and the number should start with 20. The bumpersmarkings would have been:

 

- first group: '8', followed by a small white 5-pointed star

- second group: xxxFG or BG

- third group: xxxSQ-xx

 

Example: 8(star)......156FG...... 231SQ-7

 

Indicating 8th Airforce, 156th Fighter Group, 231th Squadron, vehicle number 7 (probably not an existing unit :-D ).

 

Of course there will always be deviations, but I think this should give you some ideas.

 

Greetz

 

David

All the above is correct but USA over the number not USAAF as that is post war

[deadline]

Well, no.

 

depending on how exact you want to be.

 

In 42 the stencils were not the same font. The 1's 6, 5 and 3 were different (maybe more). Also the 'break' used to keep the oilboard in shape were not present. Look up some google images from 1942 and you will see the differences.