M.A.A/ Plates

[tonyb42uk]

'Many U.S. aircraft manufacturers fit a maker's plate on each aircaft
that carries data as the model type no, maker's serial no (c/no.)
and date of manufacture, ATC Spec no. and some engine details.

Typically a Fairchild plate carries the legend "Licensed under U.S.
Airplane patents of all members Maunufacturers Aircraft Association
Inc."

There seems to be very little written about the Manufacturers
Aircraft Association and a search on the Internet produces few
useful hits. It appears to have been formed in 1918 as a patent
pool.

Across the very bottom of the plate reads "M.A.A. PLATE NO."
followed by a five or six digit number.

Could I ask if members would to make a note the number marked upon
the plates of their aircraft and projects; along with the c/no and
date and e-mail them to me -- off board at broadhurst@talk21.com

Myself, and several other historians/enthusiasts are curious as to
how these plate nos. were allocated. Was it to individual aircraft,
to each model, or each production batch? A some number of examples
have been noted on a wide range of aircraft and may cover a period
from before 1930 to at least 1964. Cessna used them and yet a reply
to an inquiry to the company stated they had no references to these
numbers.

With thanks in advance, Tony Broadhurst'