[Milsurplus] RE: To "A" or not to "A"

[William Donzelli]

> I have never seen this mentioned in print, but looking at the long list of
> nomenclatures in my database, it appears that sometime during the 1941/42
> time frame, someone in the Signal Corps decided that the first production
> version of any component (radio, antenna, etc.) would be the -A rather than
> starting with an unlettered version.

Of course, there are many exceptions, especially for some of the 
non-complex radar parts (example - BC-1285 antenna control for the 
SCR-717, sitting in front of me).

> And then there are so
> many exceptions to the rule that it is hard to call it a rule in the first
> place.  i.e., BC-1306, etc.

Ain't that the truth.


William Donzelli
aw288@osfn.org