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]

  On 7/7/2024 at 11:12 PM, FlyingDude said:

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

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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]

  On 7/8/2024 at 3:36 AM, redbaron1982 said:

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

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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]

  On 7/8/2024 at 6:03 AM, PT20J said:

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

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

[redbaron1982]

  On 7/8/2024 at 12:20 PM, FlyingDude said:

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

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That's true, how about this one:

[FlyingDude]

  On 7/8/2024 at 12:39 PM, redbaron1982 said:

That's true, how about this one:

 

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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]

  On 7/8/2024 at 12:27 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

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

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