[Milsurplus] RAT-1 and the War Assets Administration

[David L. Stinson]

Forwarded to the ARC-5 list.

"Thekan, Paul" wrote:
> 
>  I was going through a binder I have of surplus items that where for sale
> from the War Assets Administration circa about Oct 1946. These particular
> sales notices where handled by the Remler Company here in San Francisco as
> agents for the WAA. The items listed in the sales notices where located at a
> Remler Warehouse and samples of items for sale could be seen on display, so
> says the Remler fact sheet.
> 
>  Anyway , in their sales notice  #115 are listed NIB RAT-1's. According to
> the descriptions and quantities shown they had what looks to be a total qty
> of 78 pairs of the  13.5 - 20 Mcs recvrs and the 20 - 27 Mcs recvrs. with
> mounts and what looks to be the remote tuning heads too. There where 4 lots
> of these 78 pairs available , most set up for 28 volts and only a qty of 4
> pair set up for 14 volt operation. Some lots had dynamotors , some not as
> well as spares kits and connectors.
> 
>  Just thought I'd pass this along for what it's worth. But I do have a
> question though , I thought I read some where that only 50 pairs of the
> RAT-1 where made and here at this sale are 78 pairs. Does one of our Mil
> Radio Scholars out there know what the production numbers where on the
> RAT-1??


This is very interesting.
The "50 sets" of two receivers in each set was from 
a second-tier source (a person reads the original order,
uses it in a piece, then that piece is used as a source).
Looks like more digging is in order.

There could be any number of explanations:
clerical error, confusion with some other set,
a second production run of the 24 volt sets
that we've missed somewhere.  Or perhaps the
50 source only applied to the 12-volt sets.
Or the "50 set" source could be in error.

The existing equipment supports the "50 set" source,
since to my knowledge no radio with a serial number over 50, 
drawer or dynamotor with serial numbers over 100 
are known to exist.  If the entire production of 
RAT-1 was excessed in this fashion, you'd think we
would have found a radio serial number in the 60s or 70s
or a drawer in the 120s or 130s by now.
If anyone has an exception these numbers, please let us all know.
73 DE Dave S.