Retro..Monday? The Firestone Air Chief!

Once again OBE (overcome by events) due to private instruction on Saturday and Bowling Pin match yesterday.

This is a Firestone Air Chief radio, model 4-A-30. This is a very special radio to me because it was my Grandparents and lived here. I remember pushing the buttons and twisting the knobs when I was little. My parents presented it to me as a Christmas gift some years ago. It did not work then nor when I played with it so many years ago. Here is how it looks today:

 

Original finish and grill cloth. It's in pretty good shape cosmetically. Here is the dial face lit up:

 The back:

 

 And the back cover. Sadly, the original service information in this packet was gone:

 

Here is a little service information on the interior of the right side of the cabinet: 

Here is a schematic and the output secetion is unique to me, a push pull arrangement:

I recapped it and it looked like this before I started:

When I powered it up for the first time after repairs, I chose the pushbutton mode. Clear as a bell, manually tuned so long ago the station WSM in Nashville came through loud and clear. I could just imagine my family listening to the Grand Old Opry way back then. It brought a tear to my eye. I am proud to have this Family Heirloom with me.

I need to consult the Retrotechnologist though. After moving it it seems to not want to play well anymore. I have theory in these matters but little practical experience with these radios.




Oh, here is the view from my Grandparents house of the New River. I took it for granted as a child. Not so much anymore.

 

The cotton mill is gone now. A misguided attempt for redevelopment. There are people living there now that don't even know that mill was there, yet the town would not have existed except for its presence.

I hope everyone has a great week! Stay safe!