Does anyone know what the N-Number font is that was used on a 1950 A model vertical stabalizer? I am about ready to have some stencils made and want the font to be correct.
Thanks, Mike
N-Number Font
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: N-Number Font
Why aren't you going to match what's there?
I have over twenty five years in the printing business (5th generation). I have an extensive font library to match to fonts. I have spent. I have spent considerable time trying to figure out Cessna's font of choice for labeling and placards. There isn't a clear choice. And I'll bet you spend hours looking for a match and then you will spend hours matching the letter spacing (kerning).
I would suggest using a thin onion paper (tracing paper) to trace your N number. Then have that scanned and a mask cut. This will still take some manual tweaking I'll bet.
I have over twenty five years in the printing business (5th generation). I have an extensive font library to match to fonts. I have spent. I have spent considerable time trying to figure out Cessna's font of choice for labeling and placards. There isn't a clear choice. And I'll bet you spend hours looking for a match and then you will spend hours matching the letter spacing (kerning).
I would suggest using a thin onion paper (tracing paper) to trace your N number. Then have that scanned and a mask cut. This will still take some manual tweaking I'll bet.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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C170U2
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Re: N-Number Font
Just being lazy I guess, figured someone might know off hand. I also polished most of the old N-number off. Hopefully there will be enough there to allow me to trace it.
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Ryan Smith
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Re: N-Number Font
Amarillo USAF appears to be very close to the original font used. It's a freeware font, and can be downloaded from several sources. It can be used to make a vinyl mask to make your life easier. You may investigate more to make sure that the compression and letter spacing are correct, but it should be a good head start.
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C170U2
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Re: N-Number Font
Thanks Ryan! That will help a lot!
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: N-Number Font
While investigating the Amarila USAF font I came across a link to a font designed to meet FARs though not necessarily the special FARs our 170s can be marked under. On my IPad till tonight so I didn't investigate it.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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hilltop170
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Re: N-Number Font
Here are a few examples of original factory number fonts; N1715D is a 1951 C-170A, N4583C is a 1953 C-170B.
It looks like the fonts did not change over the years. I do not have a picture of the 1951 C-170A vert. stab. N-number.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
It looks like the fonts did not change over the years. I do not have a picture of the 1951 C-170A vert. stab. N-number.
Click on pictures to enlarge.
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Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: N-Number Font
While the font is not specified, the FARs do detail some restrictions to include the width of the stroke, the width of each letter and of course it's height and the spacing between each letter. You can not just use a computer font to type it out. Yes if you know what your doing with your computer you can use a font and probably come real close if not meet the FARs. The font I mention earlier is PIXymbolsFARmarks. It is $39. The font is suppose to meet the FARs but I can not tell without buying it. The samples I saw do not have the correct spacing.
FAR 45.29 (c) (d) and (e) describe what the stroke, width and spacing for each letter should be. For our aircraft you can use 45.22 (b) (1) to set the height of the letters to "2 minimum. Once the height is set the other dimensions fall into place.
BTW could someone confirm the height of the original numbers" Was it 3" on the tail?
FAR 45.29 (c) (d) and (e) describe what the stroke, width and spacing for each letter should be. For our aircraft you can use 45.22 (b) (1) to set the height of the letters to "2 minimum. Once the height is set the other dimensions fall into place.
BTW could someone confirm the height of the original numbers" Was it 3" on the tail?
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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hilltop170
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Re: N-Number Font
Paul Wood, calling Paul Wood, come in Paul, got your ears on Paul? Bruce needs to know the original height on the N-numbers on your vertical stabilizer.Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:
BTW could someone confirm the height of the original numbers" Was it 3" on the tail?
Comparatively speaking, just looking at the pictures above, the spacing is different on the tail and wing numbers, and they are original from the factory.Bruce Fenstermacher wrote: FAR 45.29 (c) (d) and (e) describe what the stroke, width and spacing for each letter should be.
Last edited by hilltop170 on Tue Sep 10, 2013 12:21 am, edited 2 times in total.
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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4583C
- Posts: 463
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 8:20 pm
Re: N-Number Font
I would have bet money they were 3" but if I can trust my harbor freight tape measure they measure 2".
Paul
Paul
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hilltop170
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- Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 6:05 pm
Re: N-Number Font
Paul-
Wow, that response was almost as quick as my response to ferry Franks 172TD!
Wow, that response was almost as quick as my response to ferry Franks 172TD!
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
2023 Best Original 170A at Sault Ste. Marie
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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C170U2
- Posts: 436
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:30 am
Re: N-Number Font
2" checks with what I measured today. Length is about 11.5" but that will vary by n-number of course.
I tried finding Amarillo USAF font on-line.....who knew they charge you to download a font. Crazy! I am hoping our mx backshop guys will be able to duplicate the tracing I did today, if not it will be off to the sign shop to get it done. I saw some font on the side of the age equipment that looks really similar and hopefully will match up. It's amazing what a case of beer can get you on an Air Force Base!!!
I tried finding Amarillo USAF font on-line.....who knew they charge you to download a font. Crazy! I am hoping our mx backshop guys will be able to duplicate the tracing I did today, if not it will be off to the sign shop to get it done. I saw some font on the side of the age equipment that looks really similar and hopefully will match up. It's amazing what a case of beer can get you on an Air Force Base!!!
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Ryan Smith
- Posts: 1213
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:26 am
Re: N-Number Font
I got mine for free, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't from a torrent. PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.C170U2 wrote:2" checks with what I measured today. Length is about 11.5" but that will vary by n-number of course.
I tried finding Amarillo USAF font on-line.....who knew they charge you to download a font. Crazy! I am hoping our mx backshop guys will be able to duplicate the tracing I did today, if not it will be off to the sign shop to get it done. I saw some font on the side of the age equipment that looks really similar and hopefully will match up. It's amazing what a case of beer can get you on an Air Force Base!!!
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C170U2
- Posts: 436
- Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:30 am
Re: N-Number Font
Just curious....what was the name of the font used?
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