1947 Bendix PAR-80 "Flightweight" Original Manual Teaser

When people hear Bendix, they think of brakes

But Bendix was a major producer of avionics, from the 1930's up to the Vietnam war and beyond.

This is the original manual for a Bendix PAR-80 Flightweight radio.

"For model Airmarine Portable PAR-80 and PAR-80A, Bendix Radio Division; Baltimore, MD

Country: United States of America (USA)
Manufacturer / Brand: Bendix Radio Division; Baltimore, MD
Year: 1947/1948 Category: Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner
Valves / Tubes 6: 1T4 1R5 1T4 1S5 3Q4 117Z3
Main principle Superhet with RF-stage; ZF/IF 455 kHz; 2 AF stage(s)
Tuned circuits 7 AM circuit(s)
Wave bands Broadcast, Long Wave and Short Wave.
Details
Power type and voltage Line / Batteries (any type) / AC/DC 105-125 / battery 90 & 9 Volt
Loudspeaker Permanent Magnet Dynamic (PDyn) Loudspeaker (moving coil) / Ø 5 inch = 12.7 cm
Power out 0.15 W (unknown quality)
from Radiomuseum.org Model: Airmarine Portable PAR-80 and PAR-80A - Bendix Radio Division;
Material Leather / canvas / plastic - over other material
Shape Portable set > 8 inch (also usable without mains)
Dimensions (WHD) 11 x 12.75 x 6.5 inch / 279 x 324 x 165 mm
Notes The models PAR-80 and PAR-80A differ only in very details like missing resistor 16. Russet leatherette and plastic 3-way portable. 5 Tubes and rectifier. We found the first reference for this type of portable radio in "Radio & Television Retailing", August 1946 for the Bendix model 686A for AC-DC or battery, already with three-gang tuning condenser, in September 1946 for Bendix model 687A and in May 1947 it was called Bendix Airmarine Portable, model PAR-80 and PAR-80A with additional socket for Head Phones and an Antenna Jack above the 4 knobs. The schematic shows the 6 tubes which we assume were already also in the first models. The band coverage of the PAR-80 is 195 to 410 kc for airport control oowers, civil airway stations, radio range, marine beacons, etc.); 540 to 1620 kc for standard broadcast; and 2000 to 5800 kc for marine communications. Two enclosed loop antennas for reception and direction finding plus external antenna connector. 150-hour battery pack. The leatherette is called "Tolex" textileather, designed by Robert Bingman.
Net weight (2.2 lb = 1 kg) 9 lb 0 oz (9 lb) / 4.086 kg
Price in first year of sale 89.00 $"

https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/bendix_par80.html

"But Hog," you may well ask - "why post the manual of this piece of aviation history, a radio that Howard Hughes himself may have owned one of back in the golden years - unless you have a near mint, fully functional example to show us?"

















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