Stencils: Yes or No?

You mean the ones like "NO STEP", "NO PUSH" and the like, right?

Just from my own observations, seems that a fair number of Army crew-chiefs and Navy/Marine plane-captains had an aversion to re-applying stencils after doing damage repairs/replacements...  From my own personal experience, at unit level, there was usually only ONE stencil kit in the maintenance section, and it was usually missing half the letters & numbers...  Any gear/equipment that I had to stencil (by regulation) was done with my own stencils that I'd buy, if and when I ever got around to it..

I don't know for sure, but I'd imagine that it was more difficult in an operational unit in WW2, since by my time in service, many of the stencils, rather than painted-on,  were actually self-sticking labels that you'd order a hundred of to apply after repaints...  But for vehicles and outside the necessary bumper numbers and the like ("FILL TO THIS LINE ONLY TO ALLOW FOR EXPANSION", "NO Smoking within XXX Feet", etc.) they may get re-painted with a nice set of stencils... Eventually...

GAWD, I remember the ONE time I did an F-4 Phantom in the SE Asia camo and applied EVERY stencil on the sheet... All that beautiful airbrushed, four-color paint, lovingly and pain-stakingly applied...  Looked like it was covered in bird-crap from a short distance away...

Frankly, I'd apply a chosen few and leave the rest off to give it a little character, but not the full monty of factory stuff...

Yes 'Hans', those are exactly the ones I refer to. Though the ProModeller notation didn't elaborate, I would guess that the turn around time of an "in the field" unit would necessitate the omission of the tedious repainting of those things, getting the unit back into action being the highest priority.

I have to admit that I am like you, I pick and choose the ones I apply because I do the bulk of my modeling in 1/48 and a lot of them end up looking exactly as you describe.

I am curious. What about the CAF planes you work with? Since they are in a large degree, museum pieces, are they stenciled?

I'm hit-n-miss with em. Once in a while, I'll use all of em (NMF early jets), but for the most part, just a select few.

Sometimes...

Thanks Hans, that is some good information to know! I always kinda fought it out in my head whether or not to include every decal for each plane or whether I could leave some off if I didn't want to place them. Before, I'd always felt bad about not putting them on...like I was committing some kind of modeling sin. But now, well, you've justified my laziness! Hans von Hammer, for the win!

I am curious. What about the CAF planes you work with? Since they are in a large degree, museum pieces, are they stenciled?

The individual Wings & Squadrons actually decide that issue on their particular aircraft (pending General Staff approval), and just how "authentic" the paint and markings are...  But, by and large, no...  There are certain ones that are retained though like, Data Plaques, the "No Step/No Push",  "Fire Extinguisher", etc....  Usually, the majority of stenciling is the names of the Colonels who are Flying Sponsors (read: Aircrew) of the aircraft and/or the assigned pilots...  Some are vinyl stick-on lettering rather than paint. 

Probably new aircraft had all the warnings, etc., due to contracts requiring them to be there for delivery.  Some gov't inspector type was probably around to certify everything was there.

I usually go with my references, as best I can.  Recently, I've had photos of the birds I was building, so I went with what I could see.

They really do "flesh out" a model and can add to the observer's interest.  Its still a judgement call though.  Sometimes depending on scale, etc., they could just come out as too much clutter.

If you do your Helldiver as new, I'd consider it, since there aren't lots of unit markings on WW2 USN birds.  

Either way, have fun.