MB?

[Maj. McRoy]

Can anyone tell me what the prefix "MB" on US military items stands for?

 

As an example, another member has a briefcase which he says is similar to and manufactured by the same company as my USAAF A-4 dead reckoning case, but his is marked MB-1

 

Cheers

[patches]

 

Here is an image I found 0nline, where does yours say MB-1?

 

At any rate. As a wild shot in the dark, seeing this is a brief case like affair, perhaps MB stands for Military Brief???

[Maj. McRoy]

MIne is an A-4, it was another member replying to my A-4 Posting that said he has one similar only marked MB-1

 

Mine

 

[patches]

So if we're understanding, instead of his being marked Type A-4 as on yours and the one I posted, it say Type MB-1?

[Maj. McRoy]

Exactly, and he said his was by the same maker. But has MB-1 where mine has A-4. Not sure if it said Type MB-1 or just MB-1. It just got me curious about the "MB" prefix. I was thinking the MB might refer to a general army item, perhaps not specific to any area? I know the Jeep was an MB-38 so was thinking maybe MB is a general classification? Might be way off base in any case. It's not a big deal, as I know what mine is.

 

Cheers

[patches]

Exactly, and he said his was by the same maker. But has MB-1 where mine has A-4. Not sure if it said Type MB-1 or just MB-1. It just got me curious about the "MB" prefix. I was thinking the MB might refer to a general army item, perhaps not specific to any area? I know the Jeep was an MB-38 so was thinking maybe MB is a general classification? Might be way off base in any case. It's not a big deal, as I know what mine is.

 

Cheers

Maybe some info yet, and clue us in

[Maj. McRoy]

Yeah, online search yielded a ton of "MB" acronyms, but nothing relating to the Prefix. I guess if anyone knows, it'll be on here.

[dustin]

I use to know what it meant but forgot and for the life of me I cant remember. I think you'll find that your forends case will have a 5-digit purchase order, whihc will mean its post WWII or late 1940's. The designation changed from A-4 to MB-1.

Note how yours has a 4-digit P.O., its a late war procurement.

[Maj. McRoy]

It still has customs and Misc. tags from it's return from Japan in 1949. So I'd suspect you are correct about late war. The officer named on the tags was involved with closing wartime contracts at one time so mine was likely never used by flight crew for iyt's intended purpose.

[pararaftanr2]

For what it's worth, there is one currently listed on ebay, marked on the front in black letters as follows:

 

"Navigational Briefcase Type MB 1, Specification MLB 7977A, Stock No. 8460-290-0569, Contract No. AF 33-602-6391, National Brief Case Mfg. Co., U.S."

 

 

[Maj. McRoy]

Thanks, I'm going to guess these (MB-1) are a post WW2 type?

[patches]

Not great foto wise snowing the nomenclature marking, which in this case is stamped in Black and in rather small lettering. Note too that this MB one has subtle diffrences in appearance, like more textured leather for one.

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Military-Leather-Navigational-Brief-Case-MB-1-1940s-/232491922549?hash=item3621993475:g:H84AAOSwJoNZv8ah

 

[Maj. McRoy]

The texture was also mentioned as being different between the A-4 and the MB-1 though he said his MB-1 was made by the same manufacturer as my A-2. Looking at the photos, It seems the MB-1 is not actual leather, but looks like a composite. The lettering on the example you show is not something I'm familiar with either. The ones I've seen have gold embossed lettering, where this one seems to be black ink and just print not embossed?

[patches]

The texture was also mentioned as being different between the A-4 and the MB-1 though he said his MB-1 was made by the same manufacturer as my A-2. Looking at the photos, It seems the MB-1 is not actual leather, but looks like a composite. The lettering on the example you show is not something I'm familiar with either. The ones I've seen have gold embossed lettering, where this one seems to be black ink and just print not embossed?

Yeah that's what I noticed, like a leatherette material right!

[Maj. McRoy]

I'm guessing more like a compressed leather, almost like cardboard, and not hide leather like the A-2. I seem to recall seeing a lot of that type of leather used up to the 70's for camera cases and such.