Stump the Experts (was[Milsurplus] was: Pre-WW2 USAAF nomenclature

[William Donzelli]

> Well, with that many seen there were probably more so whoever dreamed
> up the system intended it to mean something.  But I would guess that
> the presence of dissimilar 1st and 2nd letters makes "BB" and "CC"
> early violations of the original intent, especially as in at least two
> cases the earlier version of the same items carried "AA".

Maybe, maybe not. We do not know what the original intent was, other than
specify different designs that would do the same function.
 
> Since the second letter in some cases was clearly assigned
> chronologically (higher letter equals later date), the first letter
> wasn't the same thing. 

Yes, I have observed the chronologic sequence in non-SCR-*-183 series. The
problem is that other than the SCR-*-183 series, details are very sketchy
to non-existant.

> Given that there was already in place and not
> changed a partial equipment type indicating nomenclature (BC, GN,
> etc.) it probably wasn't that.  The only other use I can think of is
> contractor code.  But even in the mid 30's, the Signal Corps had far
> more than 26 existing contractors.

Maybe the folks that procured or sponsored the set?

I have to wonder if it was something like the old Scott serial numbers -
no system at all. Codes are assigned willy nilly, by someone with a big
log book (filed next to the book with the meanings of Navy contract codes,
of course).

When I get home, I will start logging what codes I know about, and see
what pattern there is, if any.

William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org