Philco for 1940 (introduced June 1939)

Overview

A few new table mod­els, sev­er­al con­soles and radio-phono­graph com­bi­na­tions, and quite a few Tran­si­tones were added to the Philco line­up at mid-sea­son. Some of the Tran­si­tone mod­els from August 1939 received new cab­i­nets while two new mod­els were also added to the line.

Model Index

The fol­low­ing mod­els con­tin­ued in the Philco line­up: 40-81T, 40-82T, 40-90CD, 40-95T, 40-95F, 40-100T, 40-100F, 40-105B, 40-105K, 40-110B, 40-110K, 40-115C, 40-120C, 40-120CI, 40-124C, 40-125C, 40-130T, 40-135T, 40-150T, 40-155T, 40-158F, 40-160F, 40-170CS, 40-180XF, 40-190XF, 40-195XX, 40-200XX, 40-205RX, 40-216RX, 40-508P, 40-516P, 40-525P, 40-710T, 40-715T, 40-725T, 40-725PXX, 40-755T, 40-755XX, 40-755PXX, 40-755PDXX, 40-780T, 40-780PXX, PT-41, PT-43 (all ver­sions), PT-61, PT-69, RP-2.

The fol­low­ing mod­els were dis­con­tin­ued: 40-74T, 40-88T, 40-140T, 40-145T, 40-165F, 40-185XX, 40-501P, 40-502P, 40-503P, 40-504P, 40-506P, 40-507P, 40-509P, 40-510P, PT-25, PT-27, PT-29, PT-31, PT-33, PT-35, PT-37, PT-39, PT-45, PT-47, PT-51, PT-55, PT-57, PT-59, PT-63, PT-65, PT-67, RP-1.

Click on a thumb­nail to see infor­ma­tion and pho­tos for each model:

Portable Radios

40-84T 40-88TL

Elec­tric (AC) Models

40-115C 40-140T 40-145T 40-165K 40-185XF 40-201XX 40-215RX
40-217RX

Phono­graph with Philco models

40-502P 40-515P 40-526P 40-527P RP-1

Philco Tran­si­tone models

PT-25 PT-26 PT-27 PT-28 PT-36 PT-46 PT-48
PT-50 PT-66

Models

Portable Radios


Model 40-84T

Model 40-84T

This new four-tube portable received the AM band only.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $26.45

Num­ber made: 9,550

Model 40-88TL

Model 40-88TL

A revi­sion to the Mod­el 40-88T which it replaced, the new ver­sion has a leatherette cov­er instead of the tweed fab­ric used on the old­er version.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 5,610 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1940 Mod­el 40-88T)

Electric (AC) Models


Model 40-115C

Model 40-115C

This undoc­u­ment­ed vari­ant of the 40-115C is iden­ti­cal with the ear­li­er (June 1939) ver­sion of the 40-115C except for the speak­er grille cutouts. It also uses six tubes and receives AM and the "police" band (1.5 to 3.3 mc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $35

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model 40-140T

Model 40-140T

A new cab­i­net for this six-tube, three band AC mod­el which was shared with the 40-145T (see below).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $35

Num­ber made: 3,600 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 40-145T)

Model 40-145T

Model 40-145T - Image courtesy of John Wynne.

The 40-145T also received a new cab­i­net for spring 1940; it is oth­er­wise iden­ti­cal with the ear­li­er ver­sion of the 40-145.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $39.95

Num­ber made: 3,600 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of Mod­el 40-140T)

Model 40-165K

Model 40-165K

The 40-165 received a new cab­i­net at mid-sea­son as well. This is a con­sole ver­sion of the 40-145 above, using six tubes and cov­er­ing AM, 1.5 to 3.3 and 5.7 to 18 mc shortwave.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $59.95

Num­ber made: 1,661

Model 40-185XF

Model 40-185XF

Yet anoth­er new mid-sea­son cab­i­net, this one hous­ing the eight-tube 40-185 chassis.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $79.95

Num­ber made: 11,712

Model 40-201XX

Model 40-201XX - Model 40-201XX, closed. Image courtesy of Michael Schwartzman.
Model 40-201XX - Model 40-201XX, open. Image courtesy of Michael Schwartzman.

A very large and impres­sive mod­el, this set used either the ten-tube 40-195 chas­sis (Code 122) or the eleven-tube 40-200 chas­sis (Code 121). And despite all of the grille open­ings, this radio only has one speaker.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $129.95

Num­ber made: 9,000

Model 40-215RX

Model 40-215RX

Iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to the AM-only Mod­el 40-205RX, the new 40-215RX also shared the wire­less remote con­trol fea­ture of the 205. Unlike the 205, how­ev­er, the 215 cov­ered the AM band (540-1520 kc) as well as short­wave from 1.4 to 3.6 mc and 6 to 18 mc.

The set uses eleven tubes, along with an addi­tion­al tube in the remote con­trol unit.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $159.50

Num­ber made: 5,050 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1939 Mod­el 40-205RX)

Model 40-217RX

Model 40-217RX - Model 40-216RX shown; Model 40-217RX is identical in appearance.

This new Philco wire­less remote con­trol mod­el used the same cab­i­net as the June 1939 Mod­el 40-216RX, but uses the same chas­sis as the 40-215RX above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $189.95

Num­ber made: 3,449 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of June 1939 Mod­el 40-216RX)

Phonograph with Philco models


Model 40-502P

Model 40-502P - 40-502P, late version, closed.
Model 40-502P - 40-502P, late version, open. Model 40-502P - 40-502P, early version. Image courtesy of J. Thomas Larson.

The 40-502 received a new cab­i­net at mid-sea­son. Elec­tri­cal­ly, it remained unchanged from the June 1939 version.

Ear­ly ver­sions of the new cab­i­net used the same dial scale as the June 1939 ver­sion. Lat­er mod­els use a dif­fer­ent dial scale.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $29.95

Num­ber made: 12,075

Model 40-515P

Model 40-515P

This ele­gant new Phono­graph with Philco was avail­able in either a wal­nut or mahogany cab­i­net. It used the same chas­sis as the June 1939 Mod­els 40-508P & 40-509P.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $249.50 (wal­nut), $259.95 (mahogany)

Num­ber made: 1,801 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of wal­nut and mahogany versions)

Model 40-526P

Model 40-526P - Image courtesy of Robert Sarbell.

The only dif­fer­ence between this Mod­el and the looka­like August 1939 Mod­el 40-525P is that the new 526 used a man­u­al phono­graph, where the 525 used an auto­mat­ic record changer.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $79.95

Num­ber made: 6,500 (Note: Fig­ure includes pro­duc­tion of August 1939 Mod­el 40-525P)

Model 40-527P

Model 40-527P

Anoth­er new mid-sea­son 1940 Philco; this Mod­el uses the same chas­sis as the 40-526 above and the August 1939 Mod­el 40-525 cou­pled with an auto­mat­ic record changer.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $129.50

Num­ber made: 2,151

Model RP-1

Model RP-1

The RP-1, with its sin­gle play 78 rpm phono­graph and 2-tube wire­less AM trans­mit­ter, received its first facelift since it was intro­duced in Jan­u­ary 1939.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 16,510

Philco Transitone models


Model PT-25

Model PT-25 - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.
Model PT-25 - Image courtesy of Kim Bowers. Model PT-25 - Image courtesy of Clifford R. Huff. Model PT-25

A new cab­i­net for the PT-25, which received the AM band (540-1720 kc), used five tubes, and oper­at­ed from 115 volts, AC or DC current.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $9.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model PT-26

Model PT-26

Here is a new Tran­si­tone mod­el, sim­i­lar to the PT-25 above except that it receives AM from 540 to 1580 kc. Also oper­ates on 115 volts AC or DC.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $10.50

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model PT-27

Model PT-27

Anoth­er Tran­si­tone to receive a new cab­i­net. Elec­tri­cal­ly, it is iden­ti­cal to the PT-25 above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $10.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model PT-28

Model PT-28 - Image courtesy of Jeffrey Goldstein.
Model PT-28

Yet anoth­er new Tran­si­tone mod­el, it receives the AM band (540-1580 kc). Elec­tri­cal­ly iden­ti­cal to the PT-26 above.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $11.95

Num­ber made: Unknown

Model PT-36

Model PT-36

Iden­ti­cal in appear­ance to the August 1939 Mod­el PT-35, the new PT-36 cov­ered only the AM band (540-1580 kc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $14.95

Num­ber made: 2,211

Model PT-46

Model PT-46 - Image courtesy of Steve Davis.
Model PT-46 - Image courtesy of Chuck Schwark.

This, a replace­ment for the August 1939 Mod­el PT-45, received only the AM band (540-1580 kc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $18.95

Num­ber made: 4,475

Model PT-48

Model PT-48 - Image courtesy of Chuck Schwark.

This mod­el is elec­tri­cal­ly iden­ti­cal to the PT-46 above; it also receives the AM band (540-1580 kc).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $19.95

Num­ber made: 1,450

Model PT-50

Model PT-50 - Image courtesy of Chuck Schwark.

An unusu­al Colo­nial cab­i­net hous­ing the same chas­sis as the PT-26 above (540-1580 kc AM coverage).

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $16.95

Num­ber made: 5,017

Model PT-66

Model PT-66 - Image courtesy of Tom Lion.
Model PT-66 - Image courtesy of Chuck Schwark.

Anoth­er new Tran­si­tone Mod­el for Jan­u­ary 1940, this set fea­tures elec­tron­ic push­but­ton tun­ing and AM cov­er­age from 540 to 1580 kc.

Orig­i­nal sell­ing price: $22.50

Num­ber made: 5,090

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