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

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

In a message dated 11/19/2005 10:21:11 PM Central Standard Time, 
aw288 at osfn.org writes: 
> >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.
> 

Well, it's too much of a coincidence that the second (B) version of the 
BC-193 would also need a "B" as the first letter.  And that the third (the second 
not apparently being built) of the BC-196 would need a "C" as the first letter. 
 Does not compute!

> >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?

Doesn't jive with BC-BB-193 or BC-CC-196, both used with BC-AA-191.  And 
there were only two choices for procurement folks, Signal Corps and the bootleg 
procurement by AAC, not eight or more.  Sponsors, maybe, depending upon how 
finely you slice it.  

> 
> 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).
> 

I vote for that.

Robert Downs - Houston
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