[R-390] More Fowler Fodder, Letterhead, Map

Fri Jul 20 14:16:41 EDT 2007

Les is correct.  They made the whole radio.

I spoke with the plant manager many years ago.  He told me they used the Thomas
Register to find parts.

One of the Fowler guys I spoke with was Pete Kozak.  I have his phone number
but will resist posting it here lest he get bombarded with ebay type questions.

I remember one of his quotes, "look, this operation was no Collins Radio." He
said the building barely had a sign. It was called Fowler Industries because it
was on Fowler Street (corner of Front and Fowler).  Sounds like I'm making this
stuff up but I'm not.

I got a copy of a letter from them which is posted here:

http://www.r-390a.net/fowler-ltr.pdf

This is the google map link

http://www.google.com/maps?q=78+Front+St,+Port+Jervis,+NY+12771,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title

Tom

--- Les Locklear <leslocklear at cableone.net> wrote:

> Helena Rubenstein: The gentleman that originally posted that information is 
> very credible. They were built by Collins, shipped the naval Security Group 
> in Bremerhaven Germany. If (they probably were) surplussed out overseas, the 
> nomenclature tags were usually removed. The modules would have Collins on 
> them. They are probably out there, but nobody would know about it.
> 
> Fowler: When Tom Marcotte spoke with the Plant Manager he commented that 
> they had particular problems obtaining JAN tubes, in particular 26Z5W's and 
> 3TF7's. Remember, that they were considered "unobtanium" in the late 80's 
> early 90's. Then the government released surplus tubes and Fair Radio was 
> selling them at reasonable prices (they went quickly).
> 
> They potentiometers were made in Mexico, the meters were A & M Instruments, 
> the quality of the wafer switches were not as robust as the runs during the 
> 50's and 60's, Dittmore-Freimuth made the mechanical filters (as they did on 
> many later versions), as well as the ones the built themselves, which were 
> 67 EAC receivers with Dittmore's filters.
> 
> I can't say if what they obtained, but can assure you they didn't purchase 
> any in the crate R-390A's. Even though they were available at various 
> locations throughout the country. When you bid on a contract the Government 
> lets, you fill the requirements, and they inadvertently left the R-390A spec 
> in the bid offering.
> 
> Avondale Shipyards probably didn't think to do a search for "in the crate" 
> R-390A's and put out a request for bids to build five R-390A's. Fowler 
> Industries was Clavier and prior to that Capehart, so they had experience 
> building R-390A's and suppling R-390A spare modules (Clavier).
> 
> Tom Marcotte can pick it up from here, as that is about I can remember or 
> verify from back when we did the ER articles.
> 
> Les Locklear
> Gulfport, Ms.
> DX'ing Since '57
> http://www.hammarlund.info/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Barry Hauser" <barry at hausernet.com>
> To: <paul at pdq.com>
> Cc: "R390list" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 9:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Rare R-390 radios
> 
> 
> > Has it been determined that the Helena Rubenstein contract was an urban 
> > legend?  (suburban, rural ?)
> >
> > I don't want to cast any aspersions on that Fowler #2, but that late in 
> > the game, it's doubtful that anyone could tool up to make everything from 
> > scratch.  I rather doubt that they hand-carved and wound five PTO's.
> > More than likely, when Fowler got the contract for the five destroyers, 
> > they went shopping, and late-contract, "NOS" and possibly still-crated 
> > R-390A's were around.  There may still be some crated ones, but that's 
> > also the subject of urban legend.
> >
> > Again, it looks like the real deal, but I suspect what they consisted of 
> > were some late contract (EAC '67 or '68) units, which were re-badged in 
> > the time honored tradition of re-branding tubes -- (the  tube number is 
> > etched in with acid, the brand names were painted on.)  They may have also 
> > tested everything and provided for backup modules and parts.
> >
> > It's not a big project with R-390A's.  There's the front tag and all the 
> > other ID is rubber stamped or silk-screened on the back panel and the 
> > modules.  In all probability, the original manufacturers worked between 
> > one another rather than build all the modules themselves -- which I would 
> > suspect particularly in the late 50's to '61, when the highest number of 
> > contractors were producing them concurrently, or nearly so.
> >
> > Also noticeable that the modules in the Fowler have labels rather than 
> > imprint ID's.  At the time, PC's, ink jet and the first laser printers 
> > were available, as well as computerized typesetting and printer make-ready 
> > equipment, so that it would be actually easier to make up adhesive labels, 
> > than rubber stamps or stencils.  There are some companies that specialize 
> > in making paper, plastic and metal labels such as Seton.  Maybe the 
> > minimum order is 100, but for $30K, you can toss 95 away.
> >
> > This is not to detract from its perceived value, it's still a rare bird. 
> > But, I doubt if they could be sold to the Navy at $30K each if they had to 
> > cover the tooling and setup costs spread over only five units.  The manual 
> > shown looks like the '85 Navelex manual I OCR'ed as a starting point for 
> > the Y2K edition, which by itself doesn't mean anything.
> >
> > How else would they whip up a batch of 5 -- at all?  Any thoughts.
> >
> > Barry
> >
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