Blue vs white registration numbers.

[deadline]

I'd like to pass this on, and if I'm incorrect please let me know.

 

Its seems to be commonly cited that BLUE DRAB was the factory registration number paint, and any white registration numbers were the original registration number repainted after a repair or repaint (approx every two years).

 

But AR850-5 dated 15Feb 45 directs that factories STOP using blue drab, and switch to WHITE. So any vehicle accepted after the date the AR was implemented would have have WHITE registration numbers FROM THE FACTORY.

 

The AR850 also directs that ALL vehicles have the registration number paint WHITE by AUGUST 15th, 1945 (who knew that was going to be VJ day?

 

So with the exception of some very early 45 vehicles, all 1945 models should have white registration numbers.

Edited February 4, 2012 by deadline

[GoranWC51]

Hmmm, that would mean that my Dodge WC51, built on February 12 1945, would have white registration numbers?

 

Goran N

[deadline]

I found an Ar850-10 that states that the change from BLUE to WHITE registration numbers were to be applied by the manufacturer.

 

This is a 15 Feb 1945 issue of AR 850-10. There March 45 issue of Army Motors cites this also.

 

I've gotten all sorts of round-about answers like the AR is wrong, not applicable, wasn't enforced, etc etc etc.

 

Most people read off the 1942 AR850 for markings.. and leave it with that (most likely because its available for free).

[deadline]

I am having trouble getting a free copy of the FEB1945 AR 850

 

But if we look at the

[h=1]"Standard catalog of U.S. military vehicles By David Doyle"[/h]page 492:

 

 

 

15Feb45 blue drab out, white in. It does say that existing blue drab paint was to be used, but I don't recall that in the AR850's text.

[deadline]

Snippet from AR850-5

 

 

 

http://www.cckw.org/pdf/ar850-5_2_15_05_2.pdf

Edited February 4, 2012 by deadline

[deadline]

Jeepdraw states that hood registration numbers for Willys MB (G503) were WHITE starting 'mid' 1945

 

2" High Blue Drab Numbers and letters until Mid 1945. White was used in the last contract

 

http://jeepdraw.com/PART_COLOURS.htm

[EJOWest]

The first of the 1940 Dodge VC series came from the Factory with white USA numbers and sometime before the end of production of the VC series changed to blue drab. So that goes along with the paragraph posted

above. I have a March 1940 VC5 that I found the original USA numbers in White.

 

 

Edited February 17, 2012 by EJOWest

[deadline]

The original 1936 AR850-5/-10 DID specify white for registration numbers that were manufacturer applied.

 

It was until the late 42 -5 / -10 rewrite that the War Department changed to the BLUE DRAB for reregistration numbers applied by the manufacturer. The only real change to the -5 was in late 43 where the gasoline soluble paint was replaced with enamel paint (IIRC).

 

The 15 Feb 1945 AR850-10 then speificed that registration numbers will now be lusterless white enamel and be applied by the manufacturer.

 

There are some other reasons why a registration number would be white pre 1945:

 

Vehicle repaint.

Vehicles assembled overseas via SUP/TUP. There are many dated pictures and videos of depot constructed vehicles with white registration numbers.