L2-B Military insignias and numbers

[Pete Eslick]

I'm ready to apply the military numbers on the tail of my
L2-B. Is there a source for information concerning placement, size, font, etc. Hopefully there is a source also for any other stenciled information on the fuselage that needs to be applied. Same question for inside the fuselage. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Since Dick Huish is gone, I'm somewhat up the proverbial creek. He was my go to for almost all my questions.
However, the c-85 has come to life for the first time in this project, and the airplane is very close to flying. Unbelievable project.

[M Towsley]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

I had all of that information, Pete, but haven't a clue what happened to it. I had the correct serial painted on my tail, (it was only a 4-digit number, 3385, on the fin/rudder. It looked strange but the low number of the L-2B's resulted in the 4-digit serial. I cannot remember the formula to come up with the correct serial. It is NOT the serial number of the plane, it would be the military serial which was derived from the airplane serial and some formula. You should be able to find out the size and font online somewhere for military aircraft of WWII.

I can take a picture of the nomenclature on the side of my friend's M-model up by the cowl, those were stenciled on, just as they were on mine. If you don't have access to that type of machine to make stencils than vinyl cut may work. There was stenciling regarding sumping below the door where the sump is. There was also 'no push' stenciling on top of the stab on both sides. Mine had that my firend's M did not. Dick was the one who restored my friend's M.

There is so little info out there, but thankfully there really wasn't that much in the way of markings on an L-2. PM me your e-mail and I will take some pictures of my friend's M the next time I am out at his hangar.

[M Towsley]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Here is some additional info, I found it by searching 'military serials'.

http://vb.taylorcraft.org/showthread.php?5701-Repainted-L-2b&highlight=military+serial

[Ron Greene]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Pete,

Look on your L-2 CD's Disk 4, there is a folder called T-Craft, this will help, it was a new section that I added to the L-2 CD's thanks to Claude Underwood, it includes a compilation by Claude Underwood of L-2 history, all L-2 Army Technical Manuals including, Erection and Maintenance Manual, Airplane Parts Catalog, Pilots Flight Operating Instructions, and Structural Repair Instructions, also has WWII history, AAC Technical Orders and more. I would like to thank Claude for providing all this information.

[cvavon]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Ron we are in the beginning stages of a restoration of a L2M and have talked to Forrest about getting the CD's to no luck were can i get a set it's ser#5947 and NC50982 and the CD's would be a great help.

[Pete Eslick]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Hi Folks:
Thanks for the great information! It will be a big help. As it turns out my airplane is S/N 4576, which makes it military serial 43-1. Using the formula for the other airplanes, would that therefore be 31 on the tail? Or would it be 301, or 3001, or 30001? It seems to me that 31 appears somewhat short, but whatever is "correct" will be fine with me.

[M Towsley]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Pete,

You would use the last digit of the year of manufacture for the first number and then the rest of the military serial. As I did not read as to how to arrive at the military serial, and I don't remember, I would have to look again.

After looking at the formula it appears yours would be 31, you do have an early plane. I have never read where you fill in spaces with numerals, but I am unsure. I would think ten years ago I would have read up on it but do not recall. Mine was military serial number 385 and built in 1943 so 3385 on the tail.

[Bigdog]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

One of our Navion guys put together a document on markings for L-17's. Here is the section on tail numbers. It's probably the same for all models although I've seen some Bu numbers with 5 digit sequence. That Joe Baugher site may answer the question.

4.3 Tail Number
The tail number is a condensed version of the aircraft serial number, or what is commonly referred to as the bureau number or "BuNo". The serial number consists of the last two digits of the year the aircraft was ordered (Example: 1948 = 48) followed by a dash and the sequence number- four (4) digits for the L-17. Example: 48-1007. The tail number consists of the last digit of the order year, followed by the sequence number, prefixed with 0 as required to make a minimum of 4 digits. Example: 81007 or 80921.

• For more information on serial numbers in general, see Joe Baugher's excellent site http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html

• For information on valid L-17 serial numbers, see http://WWW.L-17.org For L-17 replicas, consider selecting a number
outside of the range of production L-l 7s possibly based on the NAA/Ryan manufacturer serial number. For
example, a 1950 NAvion NAV-4-2214 might use a BuNo 50-2214 with a tail number of 02214. This allows some level of historical accuracy without confusion with or duplication of an production L-17 number.
The tail number consists of 4-1/2" Universal stencil centered on the vertical stabilizer and positioned 40" from the reference
line.

[M Towsley]

Re: L2-B Military insignias and numbers

Excellent info, thanks Greg. I now remember that Joe Baugher site.