Invasion stars/roundels on bonnets?

[Rick W]

Some vehicles are marked up with invasion stars on their bonnets for aeriel recognition, were British vehicles marked up with stars of RAF roundels on their bonnet? Did they use both, or were there any rules governing this or were they left to their own devices??:coffee:

[Adrian Barrell]

RAF roundels were used earlier, i.e. North Africa and Italy. The Star in a circle was an allied air recognition symbol and was used by all in NW Europe. The plain stars were a US marking but were also sometimes used by British vehicles. Canadians tended to mis-apply the plain stars so as not to be confused as Americans!

[mcspool]

Canadians tended to mis-apply the plain stars so as not to be confused as Americans!

Or, they were suckers for following instructions literally - see Crooked white star on Maple Leaf Up.

 

Cheers,

Hanno

[woa2]

The white star in a ring on the upper surfaces was British, with the Americans using a broken ring (for aerial recognition). I beleive the White Stars were applied to all Allied vehicles in early 1944 (can't remember the date).

[andreadavide]

ISTR that there was a yellowish chemical reacting paint as the background for the roundel that should have changed colour in the presence f poison gas.

Andrea

[woa2]

ISTR that there was a yellowish chemical reacting paint as the background for the roundel that should have changed colour in the presence f poison gas.

Andrea

On British vehicles in the first half of the war there was a splodge of yellow paint that changed colour if there was a Gas alert and this was on the bonnet in front of the driver or on a small plate in front of the driver (as in a QL). I haven't heard that it was part of the RAF roundel.

[Jessie The Jeep]

The white star in a ring on the upper surfaces was British......

 

I've got pictures of US vehicles with a solid ring too, so there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule.

 

Steve

[BIGREDONE]

Re Bonnet Stars

 

I think the solid ring round the star donates Invasion force and the broken ring donates Occupation force and yes the yellow/brownish colour in between the stars legs is gas detection paint.

 

 

 

 

Paul

Edited May 22, 2008 by BIGREDONE

[woa2]

I've got pictures of US vehicles with a solid ring too, so there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule.

 

Steve

 

The stars and rings were applied at unit level, and I think it was how the Officer interpreted the instructions as to what got applied. Hence the differences.

[Jessie The Jeep]

There's also huge differences in sizes of stars, which again I guess was down to the unit applying the marking, but also possibly use?? I seem to recall early jeeps had a small star well rearward on the hood so it could still be seen with the screen down. Later jeeps have larger stars more centrally located on the hood.

 

Steve

[john wheatley (R.I.P.)]

Hi Gang,

I remember getting in touch with the Imperial War Museum a few years ago when I started work on Bertha to get the correct markings for the bonnet star and they told me there was no hard and fast rule, it was very much up to who was doing the painting at the time.

Regards,

John.

[LeeEnfield]

Hi Gang,

I remember getting in touch with the Imperial War Museum a few years ago when I started work on Bertha to get the correct markings for the bonnet star and they told me there was no hard and fast rule, it was very much up to who was doing the painting at the time.

Regards,

John.

 

 

Aye, thats the way I interpreted it, as well............(next job on bedford.)

[AlienFTM]

The stars and rings were applied at unit level, and I think it was how the Officer interpreted the instructions as to what got applied. Hence the differences.

 

It also worked the other way (though I am thinking Shermans here). Crews would paint OUT the white stars because they made an excellent, and more immediate, aiming mark for German tank and anti-tank crews sitting watching patiently in the hedgerows, whereas the risk of being accidentally hit by a fighter bomber flying at hundreds of miles an hour was not greatly mitigated by a white star when the vehicle is coated in dust and the engine decks are covered with bivvy, sleeping bags, etc anyway.

[Richard Farrant]

Aye, thats the way I interpreted it, as well............(next job on bedford.)

 

Just repainted my Bedford and after 20 years on there, I have painted over the star..........now depicting prior to D-Day. In truth, I have had so many people come up and tell me that the Americans did not have Bedfords......got fed up putting them right :-(

[Rick W]

Case in point some have, some havent got air recognition roundels on roofs.

Tripoli 1943 parade of Quads in front of Monty and Churchill I do believe.