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BC-348-0 Aircraft Radio


beef
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I am discovering more things on this forum every day..... Im a sporadic user and just got around to this thread. Anyway, back in the late 80s-early 90s, I picked up some WW 2 US Military aircraft radios from a guy named Pony Maples, Nashville, TN. Pony was a former F-86 pilot who collected all sorts of vintage radios and very high end aviation items. Pony had a .50 Cal waist gun from THE Lady Be Good that he purchased from the Libyan govt. as well as a working Norden bomb sight, complete B-24 cockpit and waist gun position. All set up in his basement.

 

Pony bought several A/C radios from a guy named King Karl. King Karl has salvaged them in 1946ish while a teenager in Paragould or Pochahontas, AR (I cant recall which.) He had a part time job scrapping the planes. This BC-348-0 was removed from a B-17, according to what KK and Pony told me. Both he, Pony and my brother were friends and radio collectors. KK died in around 1990.

 

The BC-348-0 is a shortwave receiver, which is why I bought it. I did and still do play with radios as my kids say. KK had rigged it with an external AC power supply and a 1960s Motorola speaker. It still picks up and plays well. I dont know much about these radios, other than Danny the radio operator in the movie Memphis Belle tuned in dance music on one during the final mission.

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I've been learning a lot about USAAF radios as I'm sourcing all the original gear for a C-47 we're restoring over here in England. With luck it will be flying over Normandy next June.

 

www.night-fright.com

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Thanks, guys! I’m going to post the other two Pony radios I bought. One is one of the few items I sold and regretted before I touched the money! LOL!

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I was a teenage ham radio operator in the 1960's and we used to be able to drive up to March Air Force Base and take our pick of gear from the MARS program, all of it WWII vintage. My buddy and I each brought home radio teletype machines, receivers and transmitters and we used them. I imagine my mom gave them to the thrift store when I left home (:

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I was a teenage ham radio operator in the 1960's and we used to be able to drive up to March Air Force Base and take our pick of gear from the MARS program, all of it WWII vintage. My buddy and I each brought home radio teletype machines, receivers and transmitters and we used them. I imagine my mom gave them to the thrift store when I left home (:

Those were the days, Bob. Radio was still exciting and interesting, opening whole new worlds. Plus all that classic gear. All very well made, too. I used the MARS system to call home once from Okinawa. My mom just couldnt get the over stuff.....

 

Now all kids have is Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter.... but still on a handheld radio! I still teach Boy Scouts the Radio merit badge and use the SW option. They are amazed at Radio Havana, Radio DW, Taiwan and PRC English language broadcasts. They really enjoyed listening in the mountains of NM on our Philmont trips.

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