Geoff Baker
Posted July 31, 2016 - 7:15am
I don't think there's any doubt it's an A-11. Ray tells me that AF42, according to literature he has, indicates the watch is Army Air Force issued for 1942. Incidentally, 'Army Air Force' is the US branch of Military know today as "Air Force". He also mentioned that the regular Army issued watches were coded as ORD. I'm not sure I was aware of either detail.
I don't know if the serial number indicates that the case was produced in 1942 or if the s/n indicates that the order for the cases was placed in 1942 but will, for the sake of this discussion accept the former. As the movement was made in 1945 by it's date code I would accept the watch as original and date it 1945.
1942 Bulova A-11