The EE-8 was the standard field phone used during WW-II and on up to the
Korean War era. It was then replaced by the TA-43/PT phone.
The crank on the side of the EE-8 turns a magneto which rings the phone
or switchboard on the other end of the line. That magneto puts out about
100-120 volts AC, BTW, and people have been known to use them to "call
up the fish" when fishing. The talking battery is supplied by a pair of
common size D cells, known to the Army as type BA-30.
The earlier EE-8s were equipped with a fitted leather case, while the
later ones had a fitted canvas case.
EE-8s are somewhat collectable, and I have seen them go for as much as
$65.00 each in good condition. If you decide to buy the one you found,
make sure that batteries have not been left in it at some time resulting
in battery leakage and the corrosion that goes with it.
Ed Greeley
Mobile, AL
===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.