Original German WWII Luftwaffe Portable Luftwaffen-Koffer K42 N Radio by Nora Radio, Berlin

Original Item: Only One Available. The NSDAP recognized early on that radio would be a very effective propaganda tool as the spoken word was more influential than the written. When AH came to power, Germany's national radio broadcasting system was quickly taken over by the Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. A special department, the Chamber of Radio, was created, and it pushed manufacturers into producing an inexpensive radio that the average person could afford. This way the Ministry could reach more people. The Wehrmacht (Armed Forces) also recognized the influence of the radio, so commercial radios were provided for some units.

This is a nice example of one of these early radios, which are very rare. This example is a Luftwaffen-Koffer K 42 N model, made by NORA RADIO of Berlin, as marked on the data plate inside and on the station readout on the front, though the serial number on the data plate is worn off. Called the Truppenbetreuungsempfänger (Troop Entertainment Receiver), these were used at both barracks and airfields during the war. The radio looks to have both AM and Shortwave receiving capabilities. This particular model does not look to have been a copy of any other makers model, and is designed to run on both battery and AC power.

This example looks to have had a hard life, and was definitely not stored in ideal conditions, which has caused the plywood on both sides to delaminate. The top layer is missing in places on the front, while the rear panel is distorted and also missing some of the wood. It still has the instruction label on the inside of the front cover over the speaker, which still is able to lock closed, and the Luftwaffe gray blue paint is well retained on both sides. There is also still the Luftwaffe eagle insignia on both sides, which has not worn away. The radio measures 19"W x 10 3/4"H x 4 1/2", not counting the handle, and weights about 12.5lbs.

Internally, the radio is missing a fair number of components, including the original tubes, and also has suffered damage from storage and movement. There are numerous loose components, and the speaker has broken free from its mounting on the front of the cabinet, allowing it to abrade the internal label on the inside of the back cover. It is unlikely it would ever be able to be restored to working condition. We also noted that the center screw on the back panel will not thread in anymore.

A nice well-used example of a hard to find Luftwaffe radio, the first example we have had of this type!

The Nora K42 was a tube-powered broadcast receiver, also known as a Truppenbetreuungsempfänger (troop entertainment receiver), produced by the German company Nora-Radio GmbH in Berlin-Charlottenburg for the Luftwaffe during World War II. Housed in a wooden box with a carrying handle and its distinctive Luftwaffe blue-grey paint, this military-issue radio was used to provide entertainment for German troops. The radio is identified by its metal type-plate, marked "Nora Radio K42," and often contains an original instruction sheet pasted inside the lid of the case.

The key difference between the Nora K42 and K42N broadcast receivers is their power source, with the K42 being primarily battery-powered while the K42N was a more advanced version capable of operating on both batteries and alternating current (AC). The "N" in the K42N model number likely stands for Netz, or network, indicating its ability to connect to mains power via a selenium rectifier, which converted AC to DC for the radio's tubes. The K42N was thus a more versatile version, used primarily by Luftwaffe officers, while the K42 was a simpler, battery-only model.