[Milsurplus] Ray's mystery box

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Although there are a few coincidences, like TBS, the Navy's two and three 
letter system nomenclature is not an acronym for the function.  The first letter 
is significant, taken from a list of functions.  In the later three letter 
aircraft sets, the first two letters are significant, "A" for Aircraft and the 
second taken from a list of functions.  But the third letter , and in the case 
of all two letter, all non-aircraft three letter and a few aircraft 
three-letter, second letter is simply the next one up in sequence.  And as in the case of 
Signal Corps set and component numbers, some letters appear to have been 
skipped but were in fact assigned but not built.

With regard to Hue's list of "interesting" letter combinations, I add MAW, 
which is Southern and Western for "Mother".  But to turn serious again, aircraft 
radar doesn't appear to have gotten beyond ABx.  Surface direction finders 
don't appear to have gotten beyond DBx.  And "G" wasn't used as a first letter 
in the three-letter nomenclatures.  My guess is that had aircraft radar sets 
gotten as high as ASS, they would have simply skipped it.  However, I would have 
thought that they would have skipped VD, too.  So maybe not.  :-)

In a message dated 8/27/2004 10:48:26 PM Central Daylight Time, 
kargo_cult at msn.com writes: 
> Eric, it might be a bit of a leap to surmise that the letters represented 
> anything
> particular. What makes me kinda suspect not, is that the Navy's main use was
> in TBF/ TBM torpedo planes. Also how then explain the ASA radar's choice
> of letters?  A more logical guess, i suggest, would be something on the 
> order
> of Anti Submarine Whatever. Altho i maintain the letters represent nothing 
> except position on a list.
> 
> I wonder if the Navy ever got up to ASS, DOG or for that matter, GOD ? No- 
> like
> vanity plates, those were non place holders on the list, altho RAT, RAP, 
> RAG,
> TAG, MAM, and DAG made the vet, dagnabit.

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
<http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
<wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
<wa5cab at houston.rr.com> (Backup email)