[Ron Ramirez]

I did a bit of research on this subject. I read that Hammonds tend to run warm to semi-hot, so the ratings are probably a bit under-rated as you say. This is why I am considering a 270EX instead of a 270DX - my radio will never draw as much current as a 270EX is rated for unless it has a major problem!

The 42-720 is not listed in Philco's 1942 RMS Year Book. Thankfully the 42-724 chassis is (nearly) identical. Maybe the 720 had a very short run? It did come out in January 1942, after we had entered the war, and Philco would shut its civilian radio production down by Spring '42 to convert 100% to war work for the gubmint.

Michael Feldt has a similar prototype 43-720. You can see it here. Either his cabinet has been refinished, or else Philco did not apply the fake burl photofinish to the upper third of that cabinet. His cabinet does not appear to have the decals around the knobs, and the knobs are 1937-1940 Philco rather than the slightly smaller 1942 knobs. His has the proper escutcheon. Oddly enough, his set has five tubes while mine has six. I have a prototype 46-421 in a very different cabinet than a production 46-421, that has the same type of typewritten label inside as his 43-720. But I digress.

I should write to Michael and see if he has a larger scan of that dial scale as I will need to have one made for mine. I could scan and recreate mine but it might be quite the chore since it is broken in three places.

Philco also issued a new farm radio in January 1942, the 42-131.

http://www.philcoradio.com/gallery/1942b.htm#a

The cabinet is identical to the 42-720 but only has two controls instead of four. I have seen one or two of them on eBay in the past, never at a swap meet. 10,550 were made but where are they? This may be one of those models with few survivors. But I digress again.