While exploring the component bins, I came across a couple of air variable capacitors, one of which was still in the box and didn't look like it had ever been used. A Hammarlund APC-50-B air padding capacitor, complete with knob. Capacitance range is 3.9-50 pF. Looks in really good condition and turns pretty smoothly.
The other air variable capacitor I found is a little more anonymous but also looked like it hadn't been used before. One of the rotor plates at the very back was slightly bent causing it to make contact with a stator plate. Aside from that it seems in good condition and turns pretty well.
I'll have to see if I can straighten out that one plate. Would be cool to use it in something.
aa7ee
That Hammarlund cap's a nice one Eugene. It is quite amazing to me that after all this time, there are so many NOS parts like this still available. I used a NOS Millen air variable in one of my projects recently. It felt a little strange (in a good way) to be the first person to ever solder anything to the contacts of what was probably a 40 or 50 year-old part.
Glad to see you're enjoying sorting through all those parts. It's fun building up a collection!
Dave
AA7EE