When was the RCA 21AXP22A in use?
 

Hi, new member here. I'm cataloging the television collection at the Henry Ford Museum, and we have a 21AXP22A in the original box. The original cataloger claimed a date of 1940-1949 for this tube! I have found references to it in 1956-1959 RCA televisions, but I'd be grateful if someone could give me a better set of dates during which this tube was put into new sets. Thanks!

56-59 seems to be right.21cyp22 was used from 1958 and after for a short time i think.1940-49?no way.i am no expert,but that seems to be the right timeframe.interested in selling it?i have been to the museum and i think all the vintage sets there are old cabinets with newer works.i was a little disappointed.the dymaxion house was very interesting though!

Yeah really, I'd love to have that tube, I need one bad. The 21AXP22 was first developed in 1955 and the first set to use it was the RCA 21CT55 using the CTC2B chassis. In 56 it was changed to the 21AXP22A due to small changes and is interchangeable with the first version. I have a 1957 Sylvania that originally used that tube but 56 was the year it was used most. The CTC 4 had a 21AXP22 and the 5 used the "A" version, the 7 used the 21CYP22. I think there was a different phosphor used in the later version of the 21AX.

The televisions have been off display for quite a while - there are about 60 in the collection, ranging from early Jenkins, Acme and a Farnsworth 651A (I think - I'm home and can't check the number) to experimental mechanical and CRT sets from RCA, as well as a number of great projection and mirror-in-lid sets. We really haven't gotten to much newer stuff - it's all stored in a warehouse and not visible to the public. The hope in documenting the collection is to maybe get an exhibit up but certainly to get things online at some point. Sadly, this is all very expensive and time consuming. We "process" - record, update records, photograph, research, clean and "package" for safe storage - about 2 sets per day. So it's not a place to see televisions yet.
Glad you liked the Dymaxion house - it's pretty cool. My favorite exhibit is watching the Corliss steam engine run. Thanks for your help!

mopaliua, you may want to lookup Tom Genova. He also works at the museum and is a very knowledgeable tv historian. I assume you have a way to contact other employees of the museum. His website is: http://www.tvhistory.tv/

Darryl

Thank you, that's exactly what we needed. I enjoyed visiting your page - it's a pleasure to see someone saving some of the old consoles that no one wants, as well as starting a collection as a young man. Get ready to hear a lot of "we got rid of that" as the years go on. Won't you feel smug that you were smart enough to save them! Thanks again for the great information.

Thanks, Tom is very much involved with this project and comes in once a week to check out what we've found and to review my records. He's a great guy to work with and a terrific asset to the project.

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I personally observed RCA making 21AXP22s in the Lancaster, PA, plant in 1962.

I've seen a 21AX as late as the late 60s, with the newer style "digital" RCA logo (as opposed to the round button & lightning bolt logo). RCA had the factory extended warranty service available virtually forever on those sets, as long as the TV owners lived. I knew a guy who worked for RCA Service Co in the 80s, and he said a lot of his customers still had CTC-5 to CTC-10 sets! Usually middle class retired people who bought them new, and kept them looking new. One of my CT-100s had an RCA repair tag from '72.

Charles