[Milsurplus] Connector history

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

1958 is after the nomenclature change from AN to MS. In the original TM's 
of the 40's, the parts lists, if they show anything other than the radio 
manufacturer's stock number, SIG STK Number, or Navy Type Number, the connector 
ID alphanumeric string will be prefixed with AN. 

However, the TA-12 doesn't use either AN or MS connectors and Bendix never 
made the ones that they do use. They are Cannon NK-M16-nna-n/n, which are 
Cannon K-Series. Same series as used on ARB, ATB, ATC, ATD, RAX, TCS, etc.

I once decided that you could come close to identifying the industry 
someone was or had been in by a combination of age, region lived in, and whether 
they called MS or AN connectors "Cannon" or Amphenol". Today I guess you'd be 
identifying the earlier generation guy that the kid grew up around. But the 
only connector I ever heard routinely referred to as "the Bendix Connector" 
is the MS 3106E-22-2P with the 4" to 5" long screw-on special backshell. 
Like the Appleton Connector (which is not actually a connector) it was 
probably because Bendix was the first and for a long time only manufacturer. From 
about 1950 to ??? the standard DC power cable plug for radio power in US 
military vehicles. 

In a message dated 11/27/2011 16:19:47 PM Central Standard Time, 
jhhaynes at earthlink.net writes: 
> On Sun, 27 Nov 2011, Ralph Cameron wrote:
> 
> >Some of the connectors on my Bendix TA-12 transmitter were nomenclated
> >MS types. We called them Bendix connectors but perhaps that only applied
> >to that particular war assets product circa 1958.
> >
> I've heard MS connectors referred to as "Cannon plugs" just because
> Cannon was one of the makers.  So I suppose people might call them
> "Bendix plugs" or "Amphenol plugs" for the same reason.  But then
> Cannon had a specific line of circular connectors made only
> by Cannon and not inter-mateable with MS connectors, although they
> were used on some of the older military equipment.  So those could
> more legitimately be called "Cannon plugs".
> 

Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480