Aust TAC Sign "S"
 

Hi, A friend of mine just purchaced a nice C15A. The drivers door is in original camo paint with It's ARN.
In the middle of the door is a black square with a white S.
Does anyone know what this might mean.
Pictures comming soon.
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

This could mean the vehicle being fitted with radio supression. I bought an ex-Australian Army Jeep a few years ago, and, when rubbing down the paintwork, I found an S painted on the side of the cowl - not the bonnet - which refered to the vehicle being radio suppressed. Could be the same for your friend's C15A?

James

Hi James, I think that is only US trucks and even WLA's have a 2 inch S on them foe radio suppression,
This Blitz is an 8 Inch Tac sign in the centre of the door white S on a black background.
Jeff

Jeff,

I can only add to the mystery about your "S" - it may well have been a common type of marking.

I restored a Blitz a few years ago and it had what sounds like a similar marking except that in this case it was a W5 - see pic.

At least it had a very usable AIF ARN


Jack

'S' on door
 

My F15 has an 'S' stencilled onto the passenger door just to the right of the top hinge, about 2" high.

Among my photo collection I have a few photos of these 'Tac' signs painted on the doors of Australian Army Vehicles similar to the photo from the AWM below which was taken in Greece during 1941.

It always appears to be on vehicles overseas working with British forces and I believe it is a unit sign and not what is commonly called a Tac sign. It is also during these campaigns that the A.I.F. was more normally painted in front of the vehicle ARN as well so this would fit to the 'W5' painted on the door in the photos above.

Keith the small 'S' on your vehicle is not a unit sign but did stand for Radio Suppression.

Hope this Helps :)

Normally supression means everything is bonded to each other as with some of the late model CMPs - this one has none, but I suppose could have had a wireless fitted at some point. I was under the impression the 'S' was normally a US thing.

Keith what would an Aussie CMP be doing with a 'US thing' marking on it? :)

:doh: I've got it......S = secret so don't ask 'cause if we tell you we gotta kill you! :D

The "S" in a square IS a mystery.

The W5 marking is the 5th Workshop section vehicle attached to an AA Regt HQ. Signals Sections vehicles will have an "S", but will be numbered, such as S1, S2, etc..

Keith's door shows the remains of a hexagon in the centre of the door. This is the type used for detachment vehicles of troop of a mobile searchlight battery (LAD, etc), and should also have letters and numbers indicating which Tp and vehicle number.

Markings
 

I'll give it a gentle rub-down - I noticed it there but think it may have been on top of the cam paint which is very fragile and has turned to powder. It just disappears as soon as it is touched.

One of the appealing things about this truck was the state of the wartime cam pattern - pity the truck was so rusty overall.

S markings on door
 

Please see attached pic which shows the S and a number as referred to in an earlier post.
This vehicle is a C15 Wireless van.
Regards
Jim S.

Re: S markings on door
 

Probably stands for - Signals #4 truck. :)

Re: Markings
 

Careful, you might get it excited...

:sheep:

Re: 'S' on door
 

Keith in this original factory photo that has been put up before the vehicle pictured has the small 'S' next to the top door hinge as well.

http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/at...=&postid=86025