Grundig 80U

[Terry]

I understand Germany had vhf FM long before the UK

They did indeed, for the reason that Michael gave. Also, Grundig portable radios covered the full US FM band up to 108MHz long before the European band was extended: initially the top end was 100MHz, then 105MHz before the final 108MHz was reached.

I always assumed that it was a clever way of earning dollars because they could sell them to US servicemen with a guarantee that they would still work in the US when they took them home.

E12 resistor ranges were the norm long before 1955, though!