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I am planning to include the following in the up-front "Sources" section of the USA AFV Register - would welcome any alternative wording, and open to hearing any different points of view:

"Note: All Serial Numbers, Registration Numbers, War Department Numbers, Vehicle Registration Numbers, etc are from publicly visible parts of the vehicle (commonly stamped or marked on the exterior) when on display, data plates when visible/accessible, the public domain (such as the AFV News Discussion Board, G104, etc), or directly from the owner with permission."

Neil

Neil,

I suppose that you want to publish this text after having read the email from Joe DeMarco?

best,

Pierre-Olivier

P-O,
Simply, yes. I'd like to have one standard.

Frankly it boils down to 2 things (I may rephrase it according):
1) Public domain - its on the exterior, can be seen, photographed, or is listed on a public forum website, etc.
2) Direct from the owner - museum director, private owner, etc.

Neil

Is this needed? Never seen such text in other ''number collecting'' fields such as spotting.

Regards,
Lesley

Some semi-private owners (ie privately owned collections that are "museum"s that can be visited) have requested (not to me directly) that the SNs of their vehicles not be published.

Maybe I'm stubborn, but my starting position is that if it can be seen publicly, then its in the public domain and can be published as such. Serial numbers are often on the outside of vehicles and usually can be found fairly easily. IMO, if they _really_ dont want SNs known & published, then they should cover over them up.

That being said, I do NOT advocate sneaking into, prying open, etc privately owned vehicles to find dataplates without permission. If its not on the outside, and the hatches arent already open for public view, then its not mine or anyone else's business.

Painted RNs & VRNs are even more visable and can usually just be discerned from a photograph (a bit more similar to the "spotting" field").

Neil

Neil,

I totally agree with your position.

P-O