Very little is known about the W. E. VT-15 save for these facts:

It is rare. Perhaps only 4 or 5 known.

It has the same specs as the Western Electric 215-A but with a “Duck Foot” splayed base pin configuration for possible use by the US Navy. Specs of the W.E. 215 A here: C_4 Further information on the W.E 215 A here: C_5

One example is known to be etched VT-15. This authors VT-15 has no VT-15 etched but only the serial number A29612.

Despite the odd duck feet, the W.E. VT-15 fits into a standard uv 199 socket.

Click on the pictures below for a larger view.

The 2 scanned documents above were supplied by John Walker to Jim Cross in Jims DVD called “The Complete Western Electric Vacuum Tube Library”. This DVD is available from Jim. They give a bit more information on the W.E. VT-15. The document on the above right is proposed base for the Western Electric VT-15 for use by the US Navy.

It seems Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing and possibly General Electric made their own versions.

The picture to the left is a Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing version of the VT-15 made for the US Navy. It has the duck foot base pins as in the WE VT-15 pictures above.

Referring to the first pictures above, the plate, grid, and filament is supported from the press below. 1 metal rod extends up from the press that supports the plate and is attached to that rod in several spots ending above all elements in a glass rod. The grid is supported on the top end by another metal rod emanating from the glass rod above. A second metal rod from the press below also ends in the glass rod above and supports the filament from above. See the center picture above for a look at the top support structure.

The VT-15 is not mentioned in Tyne.

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Sources:

The example shown of the W.E. VT-15 is in this authors collection via Tyne and Jerry Vanicek.

Cross, Jim, “The Complete Western Electric Vacuum Tube Library”, 2011.

Thanks to John Walker for his picture of a WE VT-15 along with the information on same.

Thanks to Robert Gillespie for the picture of the W E & M VT-15 above.