1:72 Allied Star Insignia Yellow

A recognition marking for vehicles

The five-pointed star became the most easily read distinguishing feature of Allied equipment and was used on vehicles of every category, from reconnaissance armored cars to trucks. Besides the white form, a yellow variant also appeared, which stood out better on sandy ground than a light marking merging with a dusty surface. It is the yellow form that this sheet covers. The marking served two purposes: for friendly aviation it showed what was not to be a target, and for ground units it served as a quick way of telling one's own column from captured equipment.

Two forms on one sheet

The set offers the marking in two treatments. The first is the star on its own with nothing added, the second is the star enclosed in a circle, that is, the form that was meant to make recognition easier on the move and from a greater distance. Both variants occurred side by side on vehicles, and the choice between them was governed by the habits of the unit and by the period. For a builder that means he can choose according to the particular subject he is working on, without having to reach for a second sheet. That is useful above all when building a diorama where several vehicles stand side by side and uniform markings hold the whole scene together.

Use on a model

Markings of this kind are placed on hoods, the sides of the body, doors and upper surfaces, that is, in places where they often meet rivets, hinges and edges. We recommend leveling the base with a gloss varnish, settling the decal with a decal softener and, once dry, toning it down slightly with dust weathering so that the marking does not look freshly applied. The sheet is printed for 1:72 scale, and it has a counterpart in white and a larger equivalent for 1:35 scale.