C42 Set Service Usage

[David Dunlop]

The C42 Set I have is a built up set with various components found over time to complete it, from different locations, so I may be chasing a ghost of sorts here.

I started with finding the Transceiver here in Winnipeg at a local Value Village store for $20.00. It was in excellent shape and has '736' stencilled in white on the front of it, along with a painted white triangle about an inch and a half across. Some time later, I ran across the Tray Adapter that locks down on top of the Radio/PSU combination, at my favourite county surplus yard. The tray had the Boxes Junction 4 Way No.4 and J1 still fitted to it and the former also had '736' and a white triangle stencilled on it, which to me was a bonus as it tied in nicely with my Transceiver. On the top of the Tray, in front of the J1 Box were two other stencils: '10 RCA' in yellow, and in front of that, '18 BTY' in red, in a slightly smaller font.

IIRC, 736 is a Communications Squadron based out of Thunder Bay. Would it make sense that at some point in time, 736 Comm Sqn was providing Signals support for 10 RCA and 18 BTY?

At some point I am going to have to repaint the Tray assembly as it is the only component I have that is a full flat 'khaki tone' paint. All the rest of the components are original C42 Plessey Green.

Trying to figure out a source for a small quantity of the original green paint for the C42 and if either or both of the 10 RCA and 18 BTY ID's should be kept? Perhaps the battery was a component of 10 RCA, or perhaps there is no relationship at all and the stencils are just a running history of usage, which is interesting in itself. And does anyone have any info on what the white triangle means? It is definitely related to 736 Comm Sqn in some way.

David