I was not aware that any WW2 RAF serial numbers have survived? But since young Tom acquired the serial number for his Norton and passed on the contact details to me I made inquiries about my RAF WD/CO. The guy has access to post war key cards from 1949. So only vehicles still in service with the RAF at that time are listed.....Tom was lucky!!
My Royal Enfield is not listed so obviously demobbed before 49. However, he did find a CO with the next frame number after mine, although it is far from certain that the Enfield's where given serial numbers in sequence of frame numbers. So our best guess is to allot the previous serial number, which will be much closer that the made up number it currently wears.
I think we only have one original picture of a CO marked up with the RAF and it appears to have the standard RE font as used on all their models.
So my challenge now is to re-spray my tank and fit the new (correct ?) number and transfers (Already in stock).
My main concern is to save the roundels that were hand painted several years ago by a dear departed 80 year old sign writer friend.....Squares are easy to mask up:thinking_face: Ron
I remember seeing some trucks being repainted when I was in the Army (softskin workshop). They didn't use masking tape, the windows (and everything else that shouldn't be painted) were coated with grease before the truck was sprayed...
Awesome Ron was wondering how you were getting on with the enquiry :) great to see another Raf one being worked on. Yep I still can't belive how lucky I was some things are meant to be I guess.
Was nice to be able to give some info back to you guys after the endless help you have all been giving me.
Interestingly there was a batch either side of mine as well Ron think it was 3 one side and 5 the other of my number. They were actually running in sequence so I don't think it'd be that far fetched for Royal Enfield to have done the same when the Raf marked them up. Couldn't see them working differently for different Marques.
I'll have to have a hunt though all the Raf bike pics ive hunted out Ron an see if there are any RE ones.
The material Sarah at axholme did for the masks for the roundels might be a shout but I'm not sure how long you could leave them on very low tack though
['I remember seeing some trucks being repainted when I was in the Army (softskin workshop). They didn't use masking tape, the windows (and everything else that shouldn't be painted) were coated with grease before the truck was sprayed...']
An ex Army signwriter told me the same method was used prior to spraying bikes by REME....When the paint was dry they washed off the grease with paraffin and then gave the bike a clean to finish the job...
I remember them doing all the vehicles for the gulf war at the Marine Barracks in Plymouth....All lined up outside on the parade ground and sprayed into desert colours....Ian
My trial attempt with my 3mm Tamiya masking tape was a disaster as it pulled the paint off as I removed it. So it's out with the W&D and start over again. :white_frowning_face: Ron
My trial attempt with my 3mm Tamiya masking tape was a disaster as it pulled the paint off as I removed it. So it's out with the W&D and start over again. :white_frowning_face: Ron
Could you mask off the centre roundels and outside of the blue and just repaint the blue part, or even carefully touch in the damaged part?
Too late! I've rubbed it all off and ordered some smaller roundel stencils to apply on a flatter part of the tank, and currently giving it some coats of high build etch primer. Ron
Too late! I've rubbed it all off and ordered some smaller roundel stencils to apply on a flatter part of the tank, and currently giving it some coats of high build etch primer. Ron
That's a shame Ron, I reckon you could have saved that. I used a circular vinyl stencil on my tank, it was like stenciling a football. I cut it thin as I only needed the edge to stick, then putting the tank in a plastic bag and you only have to use a small bit of tape on the edge of the bag.
I must admit, it was the most nerve racking bit of the rebuild and I was dreading getting it wrong. It came out better than I expected.
Yep I've been there lots of times on the double curvature of a motorcycle tank Dave. Once I knew that the sign writers paint couldn't cope with pin striping tape.....It had to go! Ron