[ARC5] Those Yellow "Serviceable Part" Tags.

[Lenox Carruth]

The first two digits of the tail number are the last two digits of the U.S.
government fiscal year the contract was awarded.  Not necessarily the year
the aircraft was built.

I have never seen a tail number like 52-4-45 on a military aircraft.  

Lenox
WA5OVG



-----Original Message-----
From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of David Stinson
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 8:35 AM
To: ARC-5 Yahoo; ARC-5 List
Subject: [ARC5] Those Yellow "Serviceable Part" Tags.

I have in my collection several  War Department A.A.F. Form No. 49
"Serviceable Part" tags which came on various SCR-183 coils and parts.
These very often have excellent information about the aircraft from which it
was taken.  
The "W.O." or "Work Order" number is nearly always the aircraft's tail
number.  
For instance- one here is from tail 42-1238.  
A quick search of the tail number:

From: http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/May1944S.htm
Date 05-13-44
Type BT-13A
Tail Number 42-12382134
Take-off accident at  Newport AAF. Newport, AR
Pilot:  Frazier, Henry
Tagged (assumed salvage date) 5-24-44

From:  http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=120270
Date: 13-MAY-1944
Type: Vultee BT-13A Valiant
Operator: United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
Registration: 42-1238
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Newport AAF, Ark    
Phase: Take off
Narrative: Take off accident.

Here's my question:  I thought the tail number preamble gave the year of the
aircraft's manufacture, i.e. "42-xxxx" 
was built in 1942.   
However, I have a tag here that lists the tail number as "52-4-45", but a
tagging date of  2-4-45.
This tail number seems strange.  Any insights?

73 Dave AB5S

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