TM Numbering Specification
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Contents
Signal Corps Technical Manuals, TM-11 Series
Technical Manuals originated around 1940 as a consolidation of earlier Signal Corps Manuals and (Radio) Pamphlets such as:
- Signal Corps Manuals
- Radio Communication Pamphlets, circa 1918
- Wire Communication Pamphlets
- Training Pamphlets
- Electrical-Engineering Pamphlets
- Field Pamphlets
- Training Manuals, circa 1921
- Training Regulations, and Technical Regulations, circa 1930.
- INSTRUCTION BOOKS SIGNAL CORPS, manufacturer instruction books
- Other sources, and agency's
- (NOTE- unfortunately not all operators manuals are TM's or even under the signal corps system. evidently the coast artillery published several radar manuals under their "4" designation.)
- FM 4-95 Seacoast Artillery: Service of Radio Set SCR-296-A
- FM 4-96 Seacoast Artillery: Service of Radio Set SCR-582
- FM 4-97 Service of the Radio Set SCR-682-A
- FM 4-143 Antiaircraft Artillery Field Manual Service of Height Finder SCR-547
- FM 4-144 Antiaircraft Artillery: Service of Radio Set SCR-584
- FM 4-146 Antiaircraft Artillery: Service of Radio Set SCR-545
- FM 4-176 Service of Radio Set SCR-268.
- (Note The 3 or 4 digit specific equipment identifier always begins at 200 because 199 and below are reserved for FM's.
TM 11-201, the earliest known, is entitled "Aircraft Radio SCR-134" and was formerly documented TR-1201-5. Initially, the manuals were not always grouped by equipment category, as the need did not then exist. With the explosion of equipment in World War Two, groupings soon became necessary. Many of the earlier numbers were "recycled" when the equipment for which they were originally designated became obsolete. There was also an inclusion of early 1950s equipment among much older units. In some cases, an A or B suffix was added to an original number while updating. But in general, a new number would be issued, especially in the latter 1950s. In 1958, a new FSN (Federal Stock Number) procedure was instituted, which more accurately defined the item in question and linked its TM 11- number to its supply number.
- (note The lowest number in the system that replaced the TR's (Technical Regulation) is TM 11-200. I don't know for certain that it had been issued earlier on the SCR-AA ...AE-183 (probably but maybe retroactively on a previously un-numbered manual) but it is the lowest number in the short number system. The edition that I have is dated 10/21/42 and covers SCR-AF ... AN-183 and SCR-AL ... AN-283. R. Downs
In Mid-1958, the FSN Series appeared, consisting of a four-digit number, followed by a three or four digit model number of the apparatus in question, then a two-digit number defining the scope of the manual. A P-Suffix indicates that a Parts List is involved. The system commenced with a new category number, 5805 though a few instances of lower numbers are known.
- (Note Suffix "P" doesn't mean that a parts list is involved. It means that the manual ONLY contains a parts list. Whether the list is just a list or is an Illustrated list cannot be determined by the TM number. Suffix "&P" means that in addition to whatever else the manual contains, it also contains a parts list. So a manual whose number ends in "-15&P" is directly equivalent to the Short Number manuals published before about 1946. It in almost all cases is the only manual published on the particular equipment. R. Downs
Example: TM 11-5805-201-12&P is for Telephone Set TA-312/PT. It contains Operating Instructions, local Maintenance Procedures, and a Parts List.
Another example:
| TM 11-5815-283-35 | |
|---|---|
| TM | Technical Manual |
| 11 | Signal Equipment |
| 5815 | Teletype and Facsimile Equipment |
| 283 | AN/FGC-70X |
| 35 | Field and Depot Maintenance |
| P | Repair Parts and Special Tools |
The Chart below Explains the Designators
| Technical Manual Designations | |
|---|---|
| SEC | DEF |
| TM |
|
| 11 |
|
| 5815 |
|
| 283 |
|
| 35 |
|
Signal TM General Categories
- 200
- Mainly complete radio sets (SCR), including DF eqp.
- 300
- Specialties, as indicated below:
- 300-350
- Telegraph and Telephone Equipment
- 350-359
- Teletypewriter Equipment
- 360-379
- Line Construction and Miscellaneous Wire Equipment
- 380-389
- Cryptographic Equipment
- 390-399
- Visual Equipment
- 400
- Mixed equipment, plus instructional texts
- 400-409
- Photographic Equipment
- 410-419
- Pigeon Equipment, Miscellaneous
- 420-429
- Meteorological Equipment
- 430-499
- Miscellaneous Equipment & Training Manuals
- 500-549
- Radio Sets, Aircraft
- 550-599
- Radio Sets, Aircraft (including DF)
- 600-650
- Radio Sets, inc. Mobile
- 651-690
- Texts
- 700-750
- Interphone & Audio Equipment (Ground)
- 750-800
- Training Manuals
- 800-849
- Transmitters
- 850-899
- Receivers
- 900-999
- Power Supplies
- 1000 - 1099
- Miscellaneous Air & Radar Equipment
- 1100 - 1199
- Radar Sets
- 1200 - 1299
- Miscellaneous Ground Radar Equipment
- 1300 - 1399
- Technical Operation Manuals (Radar)
- 1400 - 1499
- General Maintenance Manuals (Radar)
- 1500 - 1599
- Service Manuals (Radar)
- 1600 - 1699
- Field Service Procedures Manuals
- 1700 - 1799
- NA
- 1800 - 1899
- Higher Echelon Repair Manuals
- 1900 - 1999
- NA
- 2000s
- Telephone Equipment
- 2100s
- Telephone Systems and Centrals
- 2200-2249
- Teletypewriter Equipment
- 2250-2300
- Line Construction and Miscellaneous Wire Equipment
- 2300s
- Photography
- 2400s
- Meterology
- 2500s
- Test Equipment
- 2600s
- Antennas and Test Equipment
- 2700s
- Installation of Equipment (small selection)
- 2800s
- Installation Manuals
- 3000s
- NA
NOTE: The entire TM 11-4000 Series is devoted to Maintenance
- 4000s
- Repairs of Radio Equipment
- 4100s
- Repairs to Telephone Equipment
- 4200-4299
- NA
- 4300s
- Repairs to Telephone Systems
- 4400s
- Repairs to Telephone and Telegraph Terminals
- 4500-4699
- Repairs to Power Equipment
- 4700
- Repairs to Miscellaneous Equipment
- 4800-4999
- NA
- 5000 Series
- Antennas and RF Test Equipment
- 5100
- Misc. Electronic Equipment
- 5200
- NA
- 5300
- Photography-Audio Visual (small selection)
- 5400
- NA
- 5500
- Mostly Audio Equipment
- 5600
- NA
- 5700
- NA
Parts or SIGs
under the Signal Corps provision system, the parts manuals mirror the Ordnance Dept. system.
- SNL (Standard Nomenclature Lists)
- WD CAT. ORD 1 Introduction to Ordnance catalog
- WD CAT. ORD 2 Index to Ordnance supply catalog
- WD CAT. ORD 3 list of items for issue to troops, posts, camps, and stations.
- WD CAT. ORD 4 Allowances of expendable supplies
- WD CAT. ORD 5 Stock list of items
- WD CAT. ORD 5-1 Numerical index of manufactures part numbers, and drawing numbers
- WD CAT. ORD 6 Tools, and tool sets
- WD CAT. ORD 7 Organizational Maintenance Allowances.
- WD CAT. ORD 8 Field and Depot Maintenance Allowances.
- WD CAT. ORD 9 List of all service parts.
- WD CAT. ORD 10 tool load, and supply guide
- WD CAT. ORD 11 Ammunition
- WD CAT. ORD 12 Obsolete general supplies
- WD CAT. ORD 13 Parts common to two or more major items
- WD CAT. ORD 14-1 Interchangeability lists for tanks, and vehicles of related chassis.
- WD CAT. ORD 14-2 Interchangeability list
- Vol. 1 Interchangeability list for ordnance, general purpose and combat vehicles (except full track vehicles) group 0-0800
- Vol. 2 Interchangeability list for ordnance, general purpose and combat vehicles (except full track vehicles) group 0900-2500
- WD CAT. ORD 15-1 (Ordnance numbers) Cross reference list of ordnance part, and stock numbers (ten volumes)
- WD CAT. ORD 15-2 (stock numbers) (ten volumes)
- WD CAT. ORD 16 Captured Foreign Material
SIG (Supply Publications)
- WD CAT. SIG 1 Introduction to catalog
- WD CAT. SIG 2 Index to supply catalog
- WD CAT. SIG 3 list of items for issue to troops, posts, camps, and stations.
- WD CAT. SIG 4 Allowances of expendable supplies
- WD CAT. SIG 5 Stock list of items
- WD CAT. SIG 6 Tools, and tool sets
- WD CAT. SIG 7 Organizational Maintenance Allowances.
- WD CAT. SIG 8 Field and Depot Maintenance Allowances.
- WD CAT. SIG 9 none
- WD CAT. SIG 10-1 fixed plant maintenance lists- instructions, and index.
- WD CAT. SIG 10-2 fixed plant maintenance lists- factor table, MFR. code No. list abv.
- WD CAT. SIG 10-3 fixed plant maintenance lists- equipment for which maintenance parts will not be furnished
Technical Bulletins SIG
See: TB SIG