Can we trust Mituhiro's "Full Gear" quessed dates ?

[Curahee]

Just received my copy of the flight jacket "bible" and although it's a very nice little book to read
well looking/drooling over photo's, it's not any sort of bible IMHO. Only thing that's really handy
is the so called "quessed fiscal" year production dates.

Since this is the only printed resource of that information can we trust this ?

 

[Roughwear]

I'm glad you are enjoying this book. I think the word "guessed" is an understatement. He means "best guess" based upon available evidence, such as the second part of the date, which appears on most pre-war and many wartime labels, knowledge of the fiscal year and other varied documentary evidence. Of course the original government contract documents would provide conclusive proof and I'm sure some must be in archives just waiting to be read, unless they were destroyed years ago. I'm sure David will have something to say in the subject of contract dates in the books as he consults it regularly.

 

[deeb7]

.... I'm sure David will have something to say in the subject of contract dates in the books as he consults it regularly.

Me, Andrew?

You seem to have explained it well, and I agree that the word guess isn't the best choice.

I'm sticking with my original answer, and the author's explanation.

But....on the FAQ section he says that he quesses the dates also...so his quess is as good as mine..I quess ?

No ... by guess, he doesn't mean stab in the dark. The dating is by interpolation from known dates, and information, and contract numbers are sequential ...

I have been compiling thousand of contract/order numbers that were seen on the labels of the each item actually. I guess the coverage of my compiled data would be over 95%. Sometimes you can find its date on small tabs or on un-issued package of the contract number. And published dates of specifications are also useful to fix their range of the contract date.ŽÊ This is how I guess every contract numbers' fiscal year. Anyway, remember that span of the fiscal year of US government before 1976 was from July 1st. to June 30th. So if a guessed fiscal year is 1940, the contract date might be 1939 or 1940.