Aircraft 'Name' font

[colin m]

I don't think my title is very clear. I'll try to explain. I'll be building a model Spitfire (the lovely 1:32 Tamiya) but it's going to be called 'Hilda' So, does anyone know where I can find a font, which might represent a hand painted 'Hilda' on the engine cowling of a Spitfire?


Thanks in advance,


Colin M..

[Ian M]

I think the best thing is to google "free fonts" there are literally hinders of sites packed with fonts for free download. I can't think of one right now but there are hundreds of hand writing type fonts.

[stona]

What style is it. Castle Bromwich built 'presentation' aircraft usually had the relevant name or whatever applied with a stencil font. Some others were quite fancy. I have a picture somewhere of one with a nice italicised name.


You had to stump up £5000 pounds to have this done. It was a LOT of money during the war years


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

I don't think my title is very clear. I'll try to explain. I'll be building a model Spitfire (the lovely 1:32 Tamiya) but it's going to be called 'Hilda' So, does anyone know where I can find a font, which might represent a hand painted 'Hilda' on the engine cowling of a Spitfire?
Thanks in advance,


Colin M..

Colin just put in your browser fonts free and there are loads. You may find it there.


Laurie

[colin m]

What style is it. Castle Bromwich built 'presentation' aircraft usually had the relevant name or whatever applied with a stencil font. Some others were quite fancy. I have a picture somewhere of one with a nice italicised name.
You had to stump up £5000 pounds to have this done. It was a LOT of money during the war years


Cheers


Steve

What style, unfortunately Steve, it's a case of, I'll know when I see it. But the Italicised name sounds good.


Thanks Laurie and Ian, I have been searching, but just haven't seen the perfect font, but I might not be searching for the right font. I'll try again.

[flyjoe180]

Castle Bromwich built 'presentation' aircraft usually had the relevant name or whatever applied with a stencil font. Some others were quite fancy. I have a picture somewhere of one with a nice italicised name.

Some examples can be found here http://spitfiresite.com/2010/04/presentation-spitfires.html


I'd have thought you could have any font that would have been popular in the 1940s. The Americans in particular were big on naming aircraft, you can see various fonts and styles on writing from photos of B-17s and the like. Unsure what rules Fighter Command placed on freedom of decorating it's fighters, but they were never as colourful or in your face as the American efforts. That may just have been the British conservative way of doing things.

[stona]

Presentation aircraft came with various fonts, maybe a sign writer was employed by the person shelling out what was a huge sum of money at the time.


I found the picture of the fancy script:


[ATTACH]105084.IPB[/ATTACH]



You really need to have a good reference for the particular aircraft you are modelling.


Cheers


Steve

[Ian M]

What aircraft is it you want to do, have you a photograph of the text you wish to do?


Ian M

[stona]

There were a lot of them


https://fyldebbmfund.wordpress.com/gifts-of-war-presentation-spitfires/


Cheers


Steve

[colin m]

What aircraft is it you want to do, have you a photograph of the text you wish to do?
Ian M

Well, there's a story. The wife's Grandmother died leaving a small estate. With the money daughter no.1 got an I pad. Daughter No.2 got an Xbox 1. The wife asked what she could get me, so I suggested the 1:32 Tamiya Spitfire which will be called, "Hilda" So Hilda is to be the name of the aircraft.

There were a lot of them
https://fyldebbmfund.wordpress.com/gifts-of-war-presentation-spitfires/


Cheers


Steve

Thank Steve. I'm fairly sure it will be italics / copper plate style. That's more Hilda's era.


Colin M...

[stona]

I've just come back to his as I've been sorting my books out and have found a copy of Boot and Sturtivant's 'Gifts of War - Spitfires and other Presentation Aircraft in Two World Wars' which is the ultimate reference for such aircraft. I thought I had it when this thread first started, but couldn't find it sooner!


If anyone ever needs any info relating to such aircraft I'll happily look it up for them now I've 'rediscovered' the book


FWIW the official regulations were quite restrictive, allowing a marking not larger than 9 inches by 6 inches, or an inscription in 2 inch grey letters. This was to be carried "forward of the trailing edge of the wing (in the region of the pilot's cockpit)....Such markings are to be painted in grey paint (Stores Ref.33b/157)"


The reference is for Sea Grey Medium.


There are many photographs showing that these instructions were not always followed! Style, size and colour varied considerably.


Cheers


Steve

[colin m]

Thanks Steve, it seems I might have to allow myself a 'variation' of the rules.

[stona]

Thanks Steve, it seems I might have to allow myself a 'variation' of the rules.

And you quite legitimately can!


Aircraft marked at the two principle factories did follow the rules, though some names ran over the prescribed 9". Eastleigh used a cursive upper and lower case script and Castle Bromwich used block capitals.


Others could be quite extreme. This one was the result of a £7,675 donation by the Monmouth, Chepstow and Forest of Dean Spitfire fund. That was a lot of money and well above the somewhat arbitrary £5,000 pound minimum set by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for a single engine fighter. This was a bargain as the 1940 cost of a Spitfire was £8,897 6s 6d.


[ATTACH]105743.IPB[/ATTACH]



For a twin engine aircraft the donor had to stump up £20,000 and four a four engine type £40,000, both of which were vast sums in the 1940s.


It was tough if your aircraft was shot down or otherwise destroyed as the official wording of the deal (for a fighter) makes clear:


"The donor of £5,000 is entitled to name an aircraft. So long as it remains in service it bears that name; when its life comes to an end, so does the tangible recognition of the gift."


Cheers


Steve