Ex-Army AE?

[FABphones]

I've found this AE.   €10 (£9, $11, 14 CAD). Seller says it is ex-army.

Couple of questions please guys:

What should be on the front of the phone (I have a couple of spare AE dials but I'd rather keep this one as a manual if I can find the part)?
Are those base codes familiar to anyone?

At the moment I have no idea what the red text says on the rear of the phone, will take better photos and update when it arrives.

I'm keen to take a look inside....   

Seller photos:

[rdelius]

It looks like a military SC stamp  (Signal Corps? rather fuzzy.

[FABphones]

Thanks for the reply rdelius. When it arrives I will be sure to take clearer photos and add them to this thread.

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Using the Internet and search engine on here (there aren't too many of these fabric covered base CB units to compare with), this is what I have found out so far:

Nothing specific re any special dialcard centre. Found a photo of similar on here (below) and mine appears to be just missing a standard AE dialcard holder in Black. I'll compare it against what I have and then will probably be on the lookout for one.

The AE40 was produced between 1939-1957 (there is some debate as to whether any AE40's were made later), and this CB was almost certainly taken to France by the American forces during WWII and saw service. When the phone arrives the red stamp will hopefully reveal more re this and help us pin it down a bit.

The black fabric base covering is original to the AE, replacing the usual rubber gasket due to war shortages, dating this as an earlier made AE, and again to the war years. It would have had a label attached, which under the circumstances isn't too much of a surprise that it has come away.

Once opened up, the schematic will tell us more.

I'm told the phone is now on it's way.

[andy1702]

That's a nice looking phone. You did well to spot that. I'll be interested to see the internal working of this one too.

[RB]

Nice phone.
I have the same basic model, but LB, with rubber around the base.
very nice and fun to talk on. I use it on my pony board!
I specially like the divots on the sides so you can pick it up!

[LarryInMichigan]

The AE40, IMHO, was one of the most stylish art deco phones made in the USA, second to the AE34.  Be aware though that AE40s have very fragile shells which tend to crack, especially near the front corners and in the side vents.  I am curious to know if the Signal Corps version had any differences in the shell design.  I am anxious to see pictures of the phone.

Larry

[Jim Stettler]

There is an AE code breaking board
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?board=116.0
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Since the paper label is missing, you can't break the code,
However the info on the board may help you find out more about the phone.

The felt base phones are war shortage phones and the time frame when they were produced was limited. It may make it easier to figure out the most probable codefor your phone.
Jim

[tubaman]

That was a good buy!
I love my AE40. As Larry has said they are one of the most stylish phones around. Everything just looks and feels right about them.

[andre_janew]

I always thought that the U.S. Army used WE 302 phones with AE dials during World War II.

[rdelius]

Signal corps had several sets all the same type number all TP-6 .The WE 302, AE type 40,NE 7H6.Kellpgg 925 all were the same. The TP-6A sets were postwar and had common operating parts.As far as I have seen, AE type dials were standard

[FABphones]

I went and fetched the phone today. Having previously bought two AE40's which both arrived broken I was anticipating the worst but hoping for the best. The clunk clunk as the box was handed to me didn't sound good so I opened it there and then. The two parts (handset, body) were separate (newspaper) with just one layer of bubble wrap underneath, but it had survived the journey. The 'clunk' was the loosely attached baseplate. The fabric cover had very likely saved the body from damage.  So, third AE40 lucky 

Edit: Additional photos of interior. Unfortunately the schematic is missing.

[FABphones]

Handset:

[HarrySmith]

Congrats on a nice catch, I can't imagine they are easy to find over there. It even has a straight line ringer. I can't wait to see what it looks like after you work your magic on it!

[Doug Rose]

CJ.....Terry AE Collector has the nickel retainer rings for these if you plan on keeping it Manual Set, is  as I think you would....Doug

[FABphones]

Thanks all. 🙂

I have a complete AE dialcard retainer ring, but it doesn't attach to this as not the same fitting.
Also the screw thread on the phone is smaller than that of the retainer centre screw.

Could anyone explain what I need for the front of this - if anyone has photos, it would help a lot.