COLUMBUS

'Faithfully Made, Honestly Sold, Honourably Serviced'

The 'Columbus' brand was introduced in NZ in 1937 and lasted until 1960.

'Columbus' branded equipment was manufactured by Radio Corporation of New Zealand Ltd, they were distributed by Columbus Radio Centre Ltd. Currently there are 114 documented models.

Columbus was the house brand of Radio Corporation of New Zealand and was introduced in 1937 after the growth of Radio Corp outstripped its financial means and it was reorganised into a public company.  At this time almost all of the arrangements that RCNZ had with other companies were terminated, and brands such as Pacific, Stella and CQ went their own way leaving just Columbus and Courtenay (which was by now a brand of Turnbull & Jones).

Columbus continued to be manufactured until 1960, by which time Pye / Akrad had taken over the company.

114 Documented Columbus Models
IMAGEYEAR MODEL CODE VALVES BANDS
1937 Columbus model 15 5  Broadcast 
1937 Columbus model 18 6 (+ eye on some)  Dual Wave 
1937 Columbus model 24 'Voyager' 5 + eye  Broadcast 
1937 Columbus model 25 'Voyager' 5 (+ eye on some)  Dual Wave 
1937 Columbus model 38 'Seafarer' 6 + eye  All Wave 
1937 Columbus model 38 'Console' 6 + eye  All Wave 
1937 Columbus model 39 5  Dual Wave 
1937 Columbus 39 AC/DC 5  Dual Wave 
1938 Columbus model 35 5 + eye  Dual Wave 
1938 Columbus model 36 'Helmsman' 6 + eye  Dual Wave 
1938 Columbus model 60 5 + eye  Dual Wave 
1938 Columbus model 84 'Skipper' 5 + eye  Broadcast 
1938 Columbus model 84 'Challenger' 5 + eye  Broadcast 
1938 Columbus model 85 5  Dual Wave 
1939 Columbus model 54 5 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1939 Columbus model 65 'Clipper' 6 + eye  Dual Wave 
1939 Columbus model 88 'Cruiser' 9 + magic eye  All Wave 
1939 Columbus model 94 5  Broadcast 
1939 Columbus model 95 5  Dual Wave 
1940 Columbus model 022 5  Broadcast 
1940 Columbus model 051 5  Broadcast 
1940 Columbus model 12 'Personal' 5  Broadcast 
1940ish Columbus model 172 6 + eye  Dual Wave 
1940 Columbus model 173 6 + magic eye  Dual Wave 
1940 Columbus model 51 5  Broadcast 
1940 Columbus model 52S 5  Dual Wave 
1940 Columbus model 62 6  Dual Wave 
1940 Columbus model 75 6 + eye 5
1941 Columbus model 201 'Portable' 5  Broadcast 
1941ish Columbus model 56 5  Dual Wave 
1941 Columbus model 66 6  Dual Wave 
1941 Columbus model 69 6  All Wave 
1941 Columbus model 70 6  Dual Wave 
1942 Columbus model 90 6 + eye 5
1945ish Columbus model 12A 5  Broadcast 
1945 Columbus model 14 'Gainsborough' 5  Broadcast 
1945 Columbus model 14 'Raeburn' 5  Broadcast 
1946 Columbus model 42 'Corvette' 5  Broadcast 
1946 Columbus model 53 'Corvette' 5  Broadcast 
1946 Columbus model 55 'Corvette' 5  Dual Wave 
1946 Columbus model 6 'Miniature' 5  Broadcast 
1946 Columbus model 66A 6  Dual Wave 
1947 Columbus model 301 'Portable' 5  Broadcast 
1947 Columbus model 32 'Exeter' 6  Broadcast 
1947 Columbus model 34 'Oxford' 5 + magic eye  All Wave 
1947 Columbus model 402 'Portable' 6 (or 5)  Broadcast 
1947 Columbus model 44 'Cambridge' 6 + magic eye  All Wave 
1947 Columbus model 61 6  Dual Wave 
1947 Columbus model MC7 'Car Radio' 5  Broadcast 
1948 Columbus model 27 'Exeter' 5  Dual Wave 
1948ish Columbus model 402X 'Portable' 6 (or 5)  Broadcast 
1948ish Columbus model 402Z 'Portable' 6 (or 5)  Broadcast 
1948 Columbus model 53S 'Corvette' 5  Broadcast 
1949ish Columbus model 132 6?  Broadcast 
1949 Columbus model 166 'Edinburgh' 6  Dual Wave 
1949 Columbus model 166 'Convoy' 6  Dual Wave 
1949 Columbus 166 Console 'Balfour' 6  Dual Wave 
1949 Columbus 166 Tablegram 'Pennant' 6  Dual Wave 
1949 Columbus model 19 'Dover' 5  Broadcast 
1949 Columbus model 5 'Bristol' 5  Broadcast 
1949 Columbus model 96 6 + magic eye 5
1950 Columbus model 032 6  Broadcast 
1950 Columbus model 26 5  Dual Wave 
1950 Columbus model 91 'Windsor' 7 + magic eye 5
1950 Columbus model 91 'Warwick' 7 + magic eye 5
1950 Columbus model 91 'Flotilla' 7 + magic eye 5
1951ish Columbus model 032M 6  Broadcast 
1951 Columbus model 26N 'Exeter' 5  Broadcast 
1951 Columbus model 5A 'Bristol' 5  Broadcast 
1951ish Columbus model 5M 'Bristol' 5  Broadcast 
1952ish Columbus model 032N 6  Broadcast 
1952ish Columbus model 166 'Sherwood' 6  Dual Wave 
1952 Columbus model 27N 'Exeter' 5  Dual Wave 
1952 Columbus model 4 'Essex' 4  Broadcast 
1952 Columbus model 502 'Portable' 6  Broadcast 
1953 Columbus model 26P 5  Broadcast 
1953ish Columbus model 32A 'Exeter' 6  Broadcast 
1953 Columbus model 45 'Derby' 5  Broadcast 
1953 Columbus model 45 'Mayfair' 5  Broadcast 
1953 Columbus model 45 'Hampton' 5  Broadcast 
1953 Columbus model 46 'Derby' 5  Dual Wave 
1953ish Columbus model 5B 'Bristol' 5  Broadcast 
1954 Columbus model 501 'Argyle' 5  Broadcast 
1954 Columbus model 501 'Chester' 5  Broadcast 
1954 Columbus model 501 'Carlisle' 5  Broadcast 
1954 Columbus model 565 'Malvern' 5  Broadcast 
1954 Columbus model 92 'Surrey' 6 + magic eye 5
1955 Columbus model 504 'Snowdon' 5  Broadcast 
1955 Columbus model 563 'Greenwich' 5  Broadcast 
1955 Columbus model 653 'Portable' 6  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 1006 'Rembrandt De Luxe' 9 + magic eye 4
1956 Columbus model 521 'Minuette' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 521 'Oceana' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 521 'Atlanta' 5  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 601 'Chilton' 6  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 602 'Stafford' 6  Dual Wave 
1956 Columbus model 605 'Elite' 5 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1956 Columbus model 606 'Rembrandt' 6 4
1957 Columbus model 515 'Challenger' 5  Broadcast 
1957 Columbus model 566 'Champion' 5  Dual Wave 
1957 Columbus model 605A 'Elite' 5 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1957 Columbus model 653A 'Portable' 6  Broadcast 
1957 Columbus model 705 'Somerset' 6 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1957 Columbus model 708 'Somerset De Luxe' 6 + magic eye  Dual Wave 
1958 Columbus model 521 'All-Rounder' 5  Broadcast 
1958 Columbus model 521 'Leisuregram' 5  Broadcast 
1958 Columbus model 619 6  Broadcast 
1958 Columbus model 809 'Plymouth' 7 + magic eye  Broadcast 
1958 Columbus model 810 'Plymouth' 7 + magic eye  Dual Wave 
1958 Columbus model 810 'Somerset' 7 + magic eye  Dual Wave 
1958 Columbus model 897P 'Transistor 7' 7 transistors, 1 diode  Broadcast 
1959 Columbus model 694P 'Transistor 6' 6 Transistor, 3 Diode  Broadcast 
1959 Columbus PZ117 'Transistor Seven' 7 Transistor, 3 Diode  Broadcast 
1960ish Columbus model 7VDW 7  Dual Wave