Panel font

[FlyingDude]

Hi,

What's the font used for these markings? Whatthefont app returned Mad Cash. Does anyone know for sure? Is that correct?

Thanks.

[N201MKTurbo]

Looks like upper case Ariel to me.

[Fly Boomer]

15 minutes ago, FlyingDude said:

What's the font used for these markings? Whatthefont app returned Mad Cash. Does anyone know for sure?

It's possible that no computer fonts were involved with that lettering.  Was your AFM/POH prepared with a word processor?

[N201MKTurbo]

Considering the age, it is probably from a plastic draftsmen’s lettering template.

[MikeOH]

Given the time frame (early '60s) it's likely Helvetica (late '50s font design).  Arial came along in the computer era as a substitute for Helvetica; I think there were licensing issues so a new font was developed just enough different to avoid infringement.  All the above IMHO

N201MK Turbo's lettering guide theory could be a better guess

[redbaron1982]

Looks similar to ETA switches, the font is "din 1451 mittelschrift std"

[PT20J]

Masters for silkscreens of that vintage were often made from sheets of press on letters.

[FlyingDude]

8 hours ago, redbaron1982 said:

Looks similar to ETA switches, the font is "din 1451 mittelschrift std"

No, the capital G doesn't match. 1451 has rounded bottom right corner. The panel font is square.

[N201MKTurbo]

Another thing is the spacing of the W and A. They are nested together. Computer fonts don’t usually do that.

[N201MKTurbo]

6 hours ago, PT20J said:

Masters for silkscreens of that vintage were often made from sheets of press on letters.

I think it was 91 when I did my last PCB layout with press on symbols and letters.

[redbaron1982]

18 minutes ago, FlyingDude said:

No, the capital G doesn't match. 1451 has rounded bottom right corner. The panel font is square.

That's true, how about this one:

[FlyingDude]

25 minutes ago, redbaron1982 said:

That's true, how about this one:

 

No, the way R's leg separates is different. 

[redbaron1982]

If you get a good picture with the text not skewed and not rotated, you could try to use https://www.fontspring.com/matcherator. If you want, send me a better picture, and I can run it through that app to see if there is a better match.

[FlyingDude]

@redbaron1982 thanks. I'll give it a shot. 

[redbaron1982]

Maybe Alternate Gothic? G, R, and K matches. Also M.

[Pinecone]

2 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Another thing is the spacing of the W and A. They are nested together. Computer fonts don’t usually do that.

It is called "kerning" and computer fonts can do that.  But not old fonts and old systems. like this WA