Help please with ORB terminology

[Dave Homewood]

I have a couole of queries whilst looking through the No. 3 GR Squadron Operations Record Book.

When writing about Japanese ships the aircraft spotted it is usually written as DD, which I assume means Destroyer. However one ship type seen with a DD is noted as an AK. Does anyone know what the code AK stands for?

Also at one point where a Hudson is trying to escape nine Zeros it states the pilot dived to sea level and headed due north "at rated power." Does 'rated power' mean full speed?

[buffnut453]

Dave,

I think AK is cargo (perhaps others know better). As for 'rated power', might that be shorthand for 'max rated power'?

Cheers,
Mark

[ErrolC]

Mar 2, 2011 13:08:19 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

I have a couole of queries whilst looking through the No. 3 GR Squadron Operations Record Book.

When writing about Japanese ships the aircraft spotted it is usually written as DD, which I assume means Destroyer. However one ship type seen with a DD is noted as an AK. Does anyone know what the code AK stands for?

I think it is US code for auxiliary K(c)argo i.e. standard cargo ship. Probably technically only applies to ships in military service, but it's likely it was used as shorthand for straight merchant ships as well.

A quick poke at google doesn't bring up the list of codes in use in WWII, but here is a list of US examples

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:World_War_II_auxiliary_ships_of_the_United_States

And the complete(?) codes

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_classification_symbol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that.