WE 302 Prototypes Bakelite or Metal?? ©2002-6 paulf.  All rights reserved. (What's this copyright notice?) The bakelite set was on display at the November 2002 Hartford phone show. The metal set was displayed at the 2001 TCI Labor Day show by Roy Basci. These units were used in Field Trials and differ from the later production sets.
	Bakelite At first glance, it looks like any other early 302 with E1 handset. Dated 1936.
	The bottom plate is bakelite, and obviously different from the later production sets. The feet are of similar shape, but thinner than the production feet and are riveted in place.
	Inside, the coil and capacitor are obviously different than the production model.  On this set, both are stamped in red "4579". Notice that there are several interesting tabs along the edges of the bottom plate.  They fit into matching slots in the top shell for proper alignment.
	The apparatus blank in this manual model is also bakelite -- no insulated terminal strip needed, as on the production metal blank.
	Metal No confusion here!  This earlier model is a lot longer than the production model. Dated 1932. The vents for the ringer are way at the back. The handset contains the early "bullet" transmitter, as the capsule F1 transmitter wasn't developed until 1934.
	The layout is reversed and the ringer gongs are at the back edge. The ringer is an A1A.

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©2002-6 paulf.  All rights reserved.