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The Westinghouse AR, DA, RA,
RC, & RT were among the first products marketed by RCA and
were made by Westinghouse...... that is all except this version of the
"RC". The "RC" consist of the
"RA" & "DA" housed together in the same cabinet. When
the individual units were hooked up and
working together the combination is known as the "RADA".
I have owned
this unusual version of the "RC" for more than 30 years. Although it's size, layout
and cabinet are identical to the Westinghouse built units, there are
distinct differences in the knobs, dials & internal components. On the rear
the spacing of the terminals are slightly different and the thread of
the binding posts are much coarser
than that of the "Westinghouse" built units. The differences do not
stop there. Internally the audio transformers, capacitors and almost
all components are completely different. You can note those
differences as I have provided several images of the insides.
For the
last 30 years, I have always thought that this particular unit was not
made by Westinghouse and until 1998, none of the many experts I consulted knew of
it's origin either. After posting the images on my web site in 1998
several fellows provided me with some info that it was made in Germany
by Telefunken, one implied that it was imported through Canada and
"bootlegged" to the US (the reason there are no ID plates).
Recently Mr.
Konrad J. Birkner
(a German
citizen and radio collector), was kind enough to provide me with the
following information, these are his words:
"Telefunken and RCA had made a patent exchange
agreement in 1920. The set in question is a legal product, not
bootlegged ! Its name was "TELEFUNKON "D 304" (note: the "O" is correct
here). The threads are metric, and components
of own make. The sleeves of the tube sockets are perhaps
slightly narrower compared with the Westinghouse models.
Telefunken even offered a tube "RE 58" which was similar to the UV
201. Sometimes an ordinary American UV/UX 201/201A would jam
in a "German" socket. Heaven knows why....."
Mr. Birkner backed up his information with some copies
from a catalog
showing the German made set. They are second or third generation photo
copies and the quality not good enough to post.
below are images of my German made "RC" |
