Authentic stencilling

[rob love]

Also I would suggest signpainter's paint. It dries quickly and with less runs, and is meant for this kind of work. Here at the museum we use this brand: http://www.1shot.com/One-Shot/index.aspx

[Darrell Zinck]

In the early 1980's we used large sponges very successfully during the "paint the Squadron 's light armour over the weekend chaps" events.

100-odd soldiers and we'd be done in a day. Three Troops of Lynx. With the Queen Mary's,ARV, Amb and Assault Troop's M113s, we'd paint around 30 vehicles ourselves. Coveralls, issue gloves and handkerchiefs were our protection. paper masks if we were lucky!!

A production line of soldiers doing hand and air hose external cleaning, applying grease over lights, episcopes, AMU contacts etc (tape was a luxury), drive along to black, dark and light green official army-issue paint stations (cheap messy paint guns and crappy compressors) then out for drying and marking. Call signs, tac signs, CFRs, bridge class and national flag were all done by stencil.

Light dabbing in layers with a chance to dry a bit each time provide less chances of runs. Best job of the lot too. Smart Troopers ended up there.

Good times!!

regards
Darrell

[45jim]

Don't forget the super accurate chalked on lines denoting the cam pattern. All exactly to the official issued documentation. And stencils so carefully measured to ensure markings were exactly centered and perpendicular to the planet. Markings were dappled on with sponges using paint from the can and touched up later with a brush if required. Runs were just wiped off with a rag.

Tools, straps and anything you could remove was removed but periscopes, lenses on lights and just the contact surface of the amu's were covered in axle grease without too much care.

Super neat stencils were only applied during a rebuild at workshop level and these were only general ones that would apply army-wide. On the 113 series that would be the drain plug reminder on the reverse of the trim vane and the CFR. Repaints would cover all that with our creative artwork.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Jim

Ahhh yes, the chalk lines!! Boxes of school chalk from the SQ. One year the chalk just slid across the paint. There was no way to chalk. Whether it was the chalk or the paint, I never knew.

My faithful 42B went away to the fabled 3rd line and came back all shiny and new. Downside was all the personal touches of the crew were gone. Upside was that I'll bet she had the best heater in the Lynx Fleet right to the end.... and we just added our personal touches.

Still need a clear image of the winged fist from the Airborne Armoured Recce Lynxes. Chaloux, yours was crap.

regards
Darrell

[tristan L.]