The 4U Radio Console
In 1998 the San Francisco Maritime Museum received a grant for an exhibit to honor maritime radio operators. A centerpiece of this permanent exhibit, called Sparks, Waves and Wizards, was to be the Radiomarine 4U radio console from a WWII Victory ship.
The museum contacted Tom Horsfall to take on the job of finding and restoring the 4U console. Tom had been instrumental in the restoration of the radio room on the submarine USS Pampanito so he was a natural for the job. Tom recruited Richard Dillman and together they spent about a year in the cleaning and restoration of the console.
A 4U radio console was obtained from the SS Rider Victory/KQTK, one of several Victory ships awaiting scrapping in the "Mothball Fleet" in Suisun Bay north of San Francisco. The console along with spares and documentation was transferred to the basement of the museum where the restoration work took place.
The objective was not just to restore the console for static display. The plan called for the restoration of all components of the console to fully operational status. The completed 4U radio console may be seen in an accurate repoduction of the ship's radio room any time the museum is open.
Until recently, the console has been demonstrated in operation on the air by MRHS volunteers. However the Maritime Museum has now closed for renovation, a job that is expected to take several years. When the exhibit is open once again an announcement will be made.
Click below for pictures showing the restoration process as well as the completed console installed in the replica ship's radio room.
Onward to the pictures...
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