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<p>The model on the right has the star in the full circle. I wasn't really satisfied, because there is colour difference. Therefore I cut away the coloured parts and just applied the star.</p>
<p>Also this made me think: obviously one of the legs of the star is pointing UPWARDS when applied on doors. However, it is different on the roof. I tried to find an explanation for this. I mean, on the hood of let's say a Landrover a leg of the star points to the rear of the car, but how should this be done on a ROOF???????????? All I could find is pictures of models that one leg is pointing to the rear of the car.</p>

<p>Here the way I did these: as I was not satisfied, I peelde of the roof stickers of all four models I am working on. I then carefully cut off the coloured parts.</p>
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<p>Then I place them on a needle. Like that it is somewhat easier to place them in the right position.</p>
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<p>Then the space between cabin and toolbox was filled, as I glued tires in there. That way the extra hinges are stronger. Further HALF tires wee places on the other side of the toolbox, and the illusion is that the tires are complete.</p>
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<p>And here the final results. Some more thoughts.....why would the USA use German VW's in war time.....did Germany use USA trucks....?</p>
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<p>A white five-pointed star will be the national symbol of all motor vehicles assigned to tactical units. Administrative motor vehicles operating in an active theater of operations will be similarly marked when directed by the theater commander. Aerial recognition symbols The official aerial recognition would become the plain white five pointed star on a horizontal surface or glacis that was used for national identification. During 1942-3 when a thick white band appeared around turrets of AFV's in North Africa, the Pacific and in the UK.[1]:55 White five pointed star with a circle around, often broken at the points, per the stencil, was in common use by July 1943 in horizontal surfaces, except in the Pacific theatre.[1]:55 Vehicles landing in Sicily were ordered to change the aerial recognition by painting a yellow circle around the white star, sometimes the circle was thickened and the star size reduced. I can not find any reference to the direction of the star but I have been told it is always backward on roof or on hood. Thought you might like a bit of history on the use of the US military star.</p>

Now I have done that you have a nice pair of VW Wreckers. More from Wikipedia. Yes the US military used these.

In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in North Africa. This evaluation, done at the Army's Aberdeen (Maryland) Proving Ground (on more than one? a number of publications include photos of a single Kubelwagen), resulted in the publication of War Department Technical Manual TM E9-803, 6 June 1944. It was intended for distribution after the D-day invasion of Europe to US military personnel who might encounter ones that had been abandoned, possibly for lack of fuel or a minor technical problem, and with the help of this manual, might be put into service as additional vehicles. So thorough was the analysis that it included information beyond what could be done as field servicing, plus ways of dealing with very low temperatures. U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945 (p. 416), states "The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the American 'Jeep', is inferior in every way, except in the comfort of its seating accommodations."

Great walk trough and clever use of excisting materials. The US army could have captured a few VW vans in action and use them for their own purpose.....

<p>Thanks for all that Jim. I have read similar inforation about the white star, did not know about the US using German VW's, which is good to know.</p>
<p>Strange that we can't find anywhere how the star should be pointed on flat surfaces. I would say, whne you look at a five pointed star, one point should face upwards, but on a roof that does not work of course.</p>

That is why I have always thought that it should be pointing the direction of travel. Not to the rear but forward. I have head both ways so like you say, Who knows for sure, I can't find any info on it. Maybe I should contact an historical group from the war?