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PHILCO PHORUM

Philcoradio.com < Gallery Index

Philco for 1942 (introduced January 1942)

ALL JUNE 1941 MODELS CONTINUED IN THE PHILCO LINEUP; NONE WERE DISCONTINUED UNTIL 100% CONVERSION TO WAR WORK FOR THE DURATION (approx. Spring 1942).

By January 1942, America was officially involved in World War II, Pearl Harbor having been attacked by the Japanese less than a month earlier. Within a few months, Philco's production lines would convert completely to war work for the U.S. Government.

But this did not stop Philco from adding nine new models to its 1942 lineup. Two of the new models were recycled car radios, converted to AC, installed in wooden cabinets and shipped out the door to get rid of otherwise unusable car radio inventory (automobile manufacturers were also converting to war work, leaving new car radios with no new cars to be installed into).

It would be four years before Philco produced any more new radios for civilian use.

Click on a thumbnail to see a larger photo below:
BATTERY-OPERATED FARM SET

ELECTRIC (AC & AC-DC) MODELS

TROPIC MODELS

PHILCO TRANSITONE MODELS

THE MID-SEASON 1942 PHILCO LINE

BATTERY-OPERATED FARM SET

MODEL 42-131T
The 42-131T is electrically identical to the 42-121CB. It uses four tubes and tunes the AM band only.

Original selling price: $24.95
Number made: 10,550

ELECTRIC (AC & AC-DC) MODELS

MODEL A-361
Photo courtesy Shiloh Reed

One of two Philco home sets to use converted Philco car radio chassis. The heart of the A-361 was an F-1942 (Ford) AM receiver, converted to operate on AC and placed in a medium size console cabinet.

Original selling price: Not available
Number made: 35,800

MODEL A-801
Photo courtesy Lee Holmes

This is Philco's other converted car radio, using a C-1908 (Chrysler) auto radio chassis, changed to AC operation and installed in a chairside cabinet that is either decorative or unattractive, depending on your point of view.

Original selling price & number made: Not available

TROPIC MODELS

MODELS 42-720T, 42-721T & 42-722T
Illustration is representative of Models 42-720T, 42-721T & 42-722T, as all three are identical in appearance.

These three new export models shared cabinets and frequency coverage (540-1600 kc, 3.0-9.3 mc, 9.3-12 mc & 12-22 mc). It is known that Model 42-720 used five tubes and operated on 115 volts AC. The number of tubes and type of power used by the other two is not known at this time.

Original selling price (all three): Not available
Number made: 3,570 (NOTE: Figure includes production of Models 42-720T, 42-721T & 42-722T)

MODEL A-707
This set used the same photofinished cabinet as the new 42-PT3 (see below), but was capable of receiving AM and shortwave from 2.3 to 7.5 mc and 7 to 22 mc. It used five tubes (plus a ballast) and could operate from 115 or 230 volts, AC or DC.

The chassis is the same as the June 1941 Model 42-706.

Original selling price: Not available
Number made: 10,100

PHILCO TRANSITONE MODELS

MODEL 42-PT3
Photo courtesy Thomas Spiegle

As with Model A-707 above, the new 42-PT3 featured a cabinet finished entirely in Di-Noc or "photofinish"; underneath that fancy-looking tiger striped pattern is a very plain white wood.

The 42-PT3 uses the same chassis as the June 1941 42-PT2.

Original selling price: $22.95
Number made: 42,465

MODEL 42-PT96
The other new mid-season Transitone, it also had a photofinished cabinet housing a chassis identical to the June 1941 Model 42-PT91.

Original selling price: $18.95
Number made: 34,360

© 1997-2010, Ron Ramirez. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.