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Hi Guys,

I've been reading a bunch of books on military vehicles and something struck me as odd. Just about every MV from the end of WW1 thru Vietnam was given a designation of "A1" after the "M" number when a mod to the series occured. Lee's went from M3 to M3A1, Shermans from M4 To M4A1, M38 to M38A1, M35 to M35A1....etc....you get the idea. I don't recall any MV skipping the "A1" designation and going directly to "B1", as the M37 did. So I'm not understanding why there was no M37A1 instead of the M37B1. Anybody know what I'm missing here?

thanks,
bob

Bob,

I've asked that question a couple of times on different forms and to different people "in the know" and have never gotten an answer that makes sense to me. Someone said well there was enough difference to that it needed the B instead of the A designation. To which I've said BS have you ever looked at the the M38A1 it is a totally different vehicle from the M38. So I don't buy that therory. The only thing I can think of is that I believe production of the M37 had actually stopped before the changes where made and then new model truck began production. Didn't the original contracts end like in '55 or '56 and the B1 begin in like '58 or '59? (Hey not googling it just going from foggy memory so feel free to correct the dates). Therefore I think and this is just my thought alone is because it was a new production and not a modification within production therefore it got the B1 instead of the A1.

Well that's my thought on the subject anyway.

Joe

Hi Joe,

You know....that was the thought going thru my head at the time too. The M37 production did stop for a few years and then start up again with the B1 version...and I haven't run across another MV which that happened to. So maybe that's it. Another one of those tidbits I guess we'll never know 100% for sure.......but it does make sense.

thanks,
bob