Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes:
Not a false alarm this time — one of the most striking appearances of a classic shortwave receiver was in Battle of the Bulge, the 1960’s movie about the great battle between German and U.S. forces during World War II, lasting five weeks between the end of 1944 and beginning of 1945. This movie had some of the biggest stars of the time, including Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas, and Charles Bronson. Robert Shaw played the German commander of the offensive in the Ardennes and scenes in his command trailer showed a beautiful Hallicrafters SX-28/A which audiences are led to believe was both a transmitter and a receiver.
In this scene, the radio is shown as Shaw is chewed out by his superior in the trailer for not making more progress on the battlefield.
The SX-28 is one of the most amazing radios Hallicrafters made. Thanks for sharing this, Dan!
Hi Dan,
Well spotted!
Any suggestions how a true blue American radio found its way into German hands during WW2?
Perhaps the transition from Super Skyrider communications receiver to transceiver occurred in the secret underground lab we see at the beginning of the film with all the “wonder weapons”?
At least it’s period correct…
Thank you Dan!
Best wishes / 73
Julian
Hah hah. Don’t think the producers actually intended the audience to think that was the case, and just used any radio that happened to be available to the production. Have to wonder how many astute amateur operators and SWLs over the years noticed this.
Around 1952 or so when I was ten years old I discovered my father’s SX-28 hidden in an antique wine cabinet. I think he might have been a volunteer, listening for clandestine German spy transmissions during WW2 because we lived near Fort Jackson, SC. Two years later I got my ham license and that radio served as my receiver for several years until I upgraded to a better one. I still have the old SX-28 and it’s memories.