Collins 17D Autotune Radio Advertisement
May 1939 QST Article

This 1939 QST magazine advertisement for the Collins Radio 17D Autotune transmitters serves a couple purposes. The first and to me the most important is that it features the magnificent Douglas DC-3 twin engine commercial airliner. The military version, the C-47 Skytrain transport, was listed by Dwight D. Eisenhower as being among the four most important pieces of hardware (the others were the bazooka, the jeep, the atom bomb - he called them the "Tools of Victory") that helped win World War II in the European theater. It dropped the paratroopers and towed troop gliders during the D-Day invasion. Interestingly, although Collins claims the 17D Autotune transmitters were widely installed in Douglas and Lockheed aircraft, a pretty extensive search for a photograph of a surviving unit turned up nothing. I did find, however, a copy of this exact same advertisement on the RockwellCollinsMuseum.org website.

Collins Radio Advertisement

Collins Autotune* Sets Records

Braniff Airways, operating a fleet of Douglas and Lockheed transports throughout the great Southwest, uses the Collins 17D Autotune, 100 watt, 10 frequency Transmitter in all ships. Ten 17D's have been in constant service for two years and ten new 17D's have just been delivered to take care of increased operations.

The 17D is

the first high powered transport transmitter.

the first 10 frequency aircraft transmitter.

the first 100 watt set to receive CAA approval.

the first modern aircraft transmitter to be proved out during millions of miles of flying.

* Autotune - The exclusive Collins device used on aircraft and ground transmitters to accomplish quick automatic frequency shift with absolute reliability.

Collins Radio Company

Cedar Rapids, Iowa  New York, N.Y. 11 West 42 St.

Posted August 9, 2022
(updated from original post on 6/13/2016)