[Hallicrafters] 5-T Sky Buddy

[lrlayton at cox.net]

Does anyone in the group have a 1935-6 vintage Hallicrafters 5-T Sky Buddy receiver that they know for sure has the original dial? If so I would like to hear from you. 

I have accumulated over the years four 5-T Sky Buddys in various states of condition ranging from a  hulk chassis to very nice.  Two are of the “Radio Boy” dial type and two with the “regular dial”. Actually I owned a “Radio Boy” 5-T back in the late 1950s when I was about 12, but unfortunately let that one get away. Although a modest performer it was my introduction to short wave radio and I have been hooked ever since.

Until I recently started to restore one of these radios, I thought the only difference between two the was the artwork of the dial. Although the cabinets and knobs appear to be the same, there are many differences between the two types that are consistent in the the examples I have. 

They are actually quite easy to tell apart just by looking at the back of the radio. The “Radio Boy” chassis has two wires that exit through a hole in the extreme back right top of the chassis (left top corner looking at the back) and go across the top of the chassis to the antenna coil. In the “regular dial”  there is no hole and the wires pass under the chassis and exit through a hole under the coil.

The biggest difference is in the dial’s gear mechanism and and tuning capacitor. They are completely different.  Both of my “Radio Boy”  models have a tuning capacitor with smaller plates and different construction made by Defiant. The “regular dial” type has a better quality capacitor made by the Reliance Die and Stamping Co.  The gear drive and belt tensioner assembly are of different mechanical design. The maker can be identified by looking at the  back of the tuning capacitor.

The padder capacitors in the “Radio Boy” are adjustable only from two holes in the front of the chassis which must be removed from the front panel to get at them.  In the “regular dial” the two padders are adjustable from the top of the chassis. The tube shields and flanges around the sockets are also different.

The two types are clearly from different runs by Hallicrafters of perhaps one or both were built by Howard or another manufacturer. I believe the “Radio Boy" is the earlier version, but I’m not sure. Both are hard to find in good condition and the “Radio Boy" seems to be quite scarce. There have been rumors of dials being switched in order to bring a higher auction price.

I would like to know if the differences I have noted are consistent with radios owned by others in this group.

Les Layton