[ARC5] Serial number questions(SCR-274-N)

[Mike Morrow]

Jack wrote:

>Were SCR-274-N sets manufactured, delivered
>and/or installed as matching serial number sets?

Hi Jack,

I think it is safe to say that the answer to that is no.  I think the last USAAF command set that *could* have lent itself easily to having its components all serialized the same would have been the SCR-()-183/283 sets, yet I'm sure even those weren't supplied with all, or even any, of the components serialized together.  In fact, several years ago I acquired a new-in-unopened-original-crate SCR-AS-183 and found no component serial numbers to match, not even the transmitter tuning units.  However, each tuning unit had a paint stamp indicating the serial number of the transmitter to which it was assigned.

I'm not sure the US Army Signal Corps valued the matching serial number concept in the same way that the US Navy seemed to.  While we've all seen RU/GF, ATD, GP-7 and other USN sets where all components bore the same serial number, the Signal Corps units I've seen that do that seem rarer, like the BC-186, 7, 8 components of the SCR-178 and 179, all the major components of the BC-375, and some BC-1306 and GRC-9 sets.  But I don't think that even the USN tried to issue ARA/ATA sets whose components had matching serial numbers.  I'd be happy to learn otherwise it that's a false impression.

73,
Mike / KK5F