US designations

[zigster]

Does anybody know, why - in US Army nomenclature - we do have something like:

M3 - tank (Stuart)

M3 - tank (Grant / Lee)

M3 - wheeled (Scout Car)... and some others like that.

Not a problem for me (maybe "then" for technical officer), just curiosity :-)

Zig

 

[Giorgio N]

In general, US Army designations are built like this: xxxxxx, My, where xxxx indicates the type of equipment, M stands for Model and y is a consecutive number.

So the corredt designation for the Stuart would have been; Light Tank, M3. This means the 3rd model of light tank.

Such a system means that there can be as many M3 as types of equipment, like the Medium Tank, M3 (the Lee/Grant). And so on

The same principle applies to every kind of equipment for example light weapons: there was a Submachine Gun, Caliber .45, M3 at the same time of a Carbine, Calibero .30, M3. And there ware several guns designated M3. The M3 designation alone does not indicate the item, only the full designation can.

It was not the most efficient designation system maybe, and as often happens there have been a few designations that made little sense, but it's the way it worked and the way it still works

Edited September 13, 2019 by Giorgio N

[zigster]

Thanks Giorgio N, guess it worked for them, no wonder Brits put their names on straight away :-)

Zig