origin of british mark designation and the MK designation in general

[raven]

please enlighten me on this subject

[Thrawn]

The reasoning behind the different Spit designations and how they changed, will make your head spin.  I recommend picking up "Spitfire: A History".

[raven]

what is the heritage of the mark designation in general?

does it just mean mark? as in marking a plane?

[paulieb]

Consider the term interchangeable with the word "model", although I myself am unsure about the original use of it.

[palef]

Version Control.

The name of the device and the number of marks on the page after the name denoted the version of the device.

i.e Spitfire

Early Spitfires were just the name:

Spitfire plus Mk(mark) plus version I (one)
Spitfire Mk Ia (3 bladed prop)
Spitfire Mk II (New version of a Merlin)

Spitfire MK V got added designations for the type of Wing Armament

Spitfire Mk Va (8x .303)
Spitfire Mk Vb (2x 20mm and 4x .303)
Spitfire Mk Vc (4x 20mm)

There was a similar standard for the Hurricane

Hurricane IIa (12x .303)
Hurricane IIc (4 x 20mm)
Hurricane IId (2 x 40mm, 2x.303)

In 1943 it became standard to add a type designation before the Mk part of the Version number and drop the Wing variant

Spitfire LF (Low Fighter) MkIX (nine)

So that would be a low to medium level Spitfire (possibly with clipped wings for better roll rate and less drag) with nine marks after it's name in the ancient version control system of the British Isles.

Spitfire Low Fighter ///////// is a bit clumsier than the above bit!

Just to add to the confusion the standards board changed from Roman Numerals to Arabic in 1946.

So then we have:

Spitfire PR (Photo Reconaissance) Mk (mark) XIX (19) (1944/45)
and Spitfire F (Fighter) Mk (mark) 22 (1945/46)

Hope you're still awake! There's a test later.

I've done this off the top of my head so no nasty critiques please!

palef

[raven]

someone asked me in a watch forum. because military watches in ww2 were also designated MK.... ie the MKXI pilot watch.

so i guess MK just stands for mark? simply a device like model?

[palef]

That's what I was saying (you shoulda read the whole thing:)) I just used Spits as an example.

You are right.

Mk XI pilot watch would have been catalogued under the heading Pilot Watch /////////// (that's eleven marks on the page after the name of the device) once upon a time

palef

[raven]

simply confirming it:D its an annoying thing i do:)

to pick your brains even more. do you know when the mark system was first used?

thaks for the info youve already provided. very apt description may i just add