In a Nutshell
Three years after their first transistor radio H587P7A from 1956, Westinghouse still manufactured tube radios, although with advanced techniques like printed circuits and couplates (early form of an integrated circuit incorporating an RC network in a single package). The cabinet is very appealing and was used in several models between 1956 and 1959

Introduction:
This little radio confirms again my finding, that every technical antique has something interesting to tell us, even if at first sight it looks like nothing extraordinary. It has a cubistic futuristic look, that is why the cabinet has been used for several models between 1956 and 1959 (H-577T4, H-742T4 to H-744T4), it plays nicely with its only 4 tubes, and thirdly it invites you to flex your fantasy, how to brighten it up by repainting the cabinet, like the one in ref.1. This seller also installed an iPod connection, an easy to do thing.
But really interesting are the technical and historic backgrounds. Five years after the first commercially produced transistor radio Regency TR-1, and three years after Westinghouse's first transistor radio H587P7A from 1956, Westinghouse still manufactured tube radios in 1959. The reason cannot be anything else than production costs. This radio is a prototype example for cost-saving, combining outdated and new technologies as needed:

     1. tubes were still cheaper than transistors
     2. a loop antenna was cheaper than the new ferrite antennas with a comparable performance
     3. placing components on printed circuits turned out to be cheaper than point-to-point wiring, used before
     4. the radio uses "couplates", a kind of single in-line integrated circuit with passive components

Z1 (pict.14 lower left) is such a couplate with 3 resistors and 5 capacitors combined in one package, made by OPCO and almost identical with the PC-50 by Centralab, shown in their catalog (picture above). The components had to be and were very reliable, because the whole couplate would have to be replaced, if only one of the 8 components failed. The radio, as most Westinghouse post-war radios, has been built in their Television - Radio Division in Metuchen, New Jersey. A very similar "last-run" radio is my 1960 Beaver (ref.2), an even smaller radio with one more tube - but no couplates, no printed circuit.

Additional information:
   ref. 1:   http://www.etsy.com/listing/107820159/westinghouse-am-radio-ipod-ready-1955
   ref. 2:   http://www.greenhillsgf.com/IndexOwn_501_Beaver.htm

About my radio:
All moving parts have been treated with contact spray. The radio plays loud and clear (watch the video by clicking on pict.13). Please e-mail me (Kris) for any questions, ich spreche Deutsch, je parle Français.

Here are the specifications:

Please have a look at prices and more radios, phonographs and gramophones  here