tamrock
Platinum Member
Okay! I had to buy this today at a flea market, because it's NOS with the original box and was only $4.50 + tax. $4.88 all together. I'm not exactly sure what it was used for. It has a couple of very fine hand crank tuners and it looks like it would mount upside-down and overhead as the way of the tabs in the back are and has two post snap clips in the front.It also looks like it has 4 headphone jacks.
It says on the box SIGNAL CORPS U.S. ARMY 1 - RADIO CONTROL BOX BC-496-A S/N 14438 (same s/n as on the device is on the box) Contractor: Western Elect. Co.
My first question is how old is this device.??
The box is stamped Ord.No. 885 Day 44, Cont. No. W-33-042-SC-898 Stock No. 2C3346 A Item 14 and I wonder if these order and stock numbers can pinpoint a date in time.??
What is it??
I can find an other example of this device on a National Air and Space Museum site that give no info on when and how it was used Radio Control Box, GIC, Type BC-496-A · Digital Public Library of America and one other on eBay France suggesting it's WW2 era, but methinks it's "cold war" era. The one in France has a bid at 92.82 EUR which is $104.00 usd (that I like) and gives very little detail on what this is for sure. BC 496 A 2 Receiver Control BOX ARC 5 Military Radio Aircraft WW2 Command SET | eBay
I can't see it being a radio control devise such as remote control as the term radio control is sometime referred to at times.
It measure by only the housing w/o dials, knobs & receptacles 5-1/2" W x 6-1/4" L x 1-3/4" T
It says on the box SIGNAL CORPS U.S. ARMY 1 - RADIO CONTROL BOX BC-496-A S/N 14438 (same s/n as on the device is on the box) Contractor: Western Elect. Co.
My first question is how old is this device.??
The box is stamped Ord.No. 885 Day 44, Cont. No. W-33-042-SC-898 Stock No. 2C3346 A Item 14 and I wonder if these order and stock numbers can pinpoint a date in time.??
What is it??
I can find an other example of this device on a National Air and Space Museum site that give no info on when and how it was used Radio Control Box, GIC, Type BC-496-A · Digital Public Library of America and one other on eBay France suggesting it's WW2 era, but methinks it's "cold war" era. The one in France has a bid at 92.82 EUR which is $104.00 usd (that I like) and gives very little detail on what this is for sure. BC 496 A 2 Receiver Control BOX ARC 5 Military Radio Aircraft WW2 Command SET | eBay
I can't see it being a radio control devise such as remote control as the term radio control is sometime referred to at times.
It measure by only the housing w/o dials, knobs & receptacles 5-1/2" W x 6-1/4" L x 1-3/4" T
