CFTO on wirecutters for M38A1 CDN 2+3/M151A2

[BOBM35A2]

Thanks Derk,
I think I found another project.
Bob M.

[charlie fitton]

this is the stuff I think the site is best for.

[derk derin]

Glad people can use the information.As I recall,my wirecutter on my M38A1 CDN 2 jeep left me with a wound or at least a ripped shirt at one time! A fairly simple project that adds to the vehicle.Be careful!
Derk.

[BOBM35A2]

Derk,
After seeing the diagrams, I went down to the shop and started making the parts. Cut the plates and drilled them. Cut the short peices and put an angle to the blade. But, do to the warnings, stopped short of making them knife edge. But, I put the project on hold, I didn't have the exact angle iron, so I had to stop. Repainted the bumpers today, to get the wrong CFR numbers off. Replaced the transfer case rear seal and took the slop out of the parking brake. Cutter should be ready by the weekend. The info is very helpful.
Thanks,
Bob M.

[BOBM35A2]

Derk,
Thanks for another project. Installed the wire cutter and the new correct numbers today.
Radio parts on the way. Anything else I should know? Did the Olive Drab jeeps have Canadian flag red and white decals on them? Where if so. I've seen them on the front bumper, hood cowles, front fender, rear bumper. Was this radom?
Attached is up to date picture.

[derk derin]

Hi Bob,
Jeep looks good.Nice job on the wirecutter.I was looking at pictures of my M38A1 CDN 2 when I brought it home and it was camoflouged already and had no markings other than the CFR number stencilled on the dash and that was it.More than likely it's last paint job left it bare of markings as nobody restencilled anything on the outside where unit markings are usually present.
My 5/4 ton had a camoflouged paint job and had a red maple leaf and unit tach sign on the hood and rear bumper as well as a call sign on the doors and a bridge class number on the front bumper so I would imagine the jeeps would also have these markings on them.Maybe somebody else can add to the markings their jeeps had after service with the Canadian army.
Do you plan on adding anything else to the jeep like a radio set,decontamination cannister,Sterling SMG bracket,FN rifle mounts,Fire extinguisher,etc.I will see what other CFTO's I have you can use for your jeep! We don't want our projects to come to an end do we?
Derk.

[rob love]

The reason for the differences on markings, say, between a 5/4 ton and an M38A1, is who was using them. The 5/4 tons were primarily a regular force truck, and as such would be subject to such niceties as the occasional GOCs inspections, or the annual ATI inspections, where such markings were generally "by the book". The book, by the way, was the Force Mobile Command orders (FMCOs) or else the applicable brigade directives.

The M38A1s were primarily a reserve truck once the M151A2s came out, although many served with regular force units as well. Markings in reserve units(as well as cam jobs) were pretty hit or miss. ATIs in reserve units were also of a different standard from a regular force ATI, and the ATI team was happy if the vehicles had their batteries in them, besides such niceties as unit markings.

If I may comment on Bob's jeep, the single color flat paint was by and large non-existent during the M38A1Cdn2 era. FMCOs during that time period called for the Cdn 3 color cam, and it was usually liberally applied annually with a 3 inch brush. It wasn't until the 90s that the multi color cam paint was dropped on B vehicles in favor of the single flat color. Also, the CFRs under the door were on the jeeps in their original semi gloss paint. Of the one or two jeeps I saw in service which had not been cammed up, the CFRs were no longer in that position once the vehicles received another coat of semi gloss. The CFR would have been on the license plate and as well in white numbers on the dash. The Canada flags should have been on the front and rear. Normally, there was a decal for these in red and white, but many units would cut them out of stencils and apply them in black. It wasn't in any manual, but it was just done so that you would have one less thing to duct tape over before you went to the field.

Other markings like the unit tac sign and the call sign were also more of a regular force thing, although the militia should have been using them as well. Call signs were not generally painted on reserve unit vehicles because the net would have been designed based on what vehicles were serviceable and who showed up for an ex. Often, the call signs were just applied with chalk the day of an ex. On a regular force vehicle the call signs would be on both sides of the vehicle near the cowl. Another sign that was to be on vehicles was the bridge class. They should have been a yellow circle with the max weight in tons painted in the circle. They could also have the combined weight of the truck and trailer. Jeeps were below the necessary weight rating to have a bridge class painted on them, although often they were done anyway. As well, the bridge class was normally found on regular force vehicles, and rarely on reserve force vehicles.

Even the tire pressure markings were more often found on reg force vehicles than reserve vehicles. These markings were also called for in the FMCOs but often was not done.