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why would the top of the line model "Wingate" have the super chassis version instead of the deluxe chassic
The Wingate looks like a top‑of‑the‑line set because of its cabinet, but RCA’s 1956 product strategy separated cabinet grade from chassis grade. That’s the key to why the Wingate—despite being one of the most expensive, most ornate consoles—still shipped with the CTC‑5A Super/Special chassis, not a Deluxe.

Why the Wingate used the Super/Special chassis
The short version: RCA sold luxury cabinets with mid‑line electronics on purpose. The Deluxe chassis was reserved for only a few premium “engineering showcase” models, not for every expensive cabinet.

1. RCA’s 1956 marketing separated furniture class from electronics class
Cabinet names like Wingate, Stratford, Aldrich, Highlander, etc. were furniture lines, not electronic tiers.

RCA priced cabinets based on woodwork, doors, trim, and styling—not the chassis inside.

A high‑end cabinet could still contain a mid‑line chassis if RCA thought the market would accept it.

The Wingate was marketed as a luxury furniture piece, not an engineering flagship.

2. The Deluxe chassis was expensive, unstable early on, and produced in smaller numbers
The Deluxe family (CTC‑5B/C/D/F) used the X‑Z wideband demodulator, which gave sharper color but was:

more expensive to build

more sensitive to alignment

more prone to drift and service callbacks

produced in lower volume

RCA only put Deluxe chassis into a few “halo” models to avoid warranty headaches and to keep the Deluxe line exclusive.

The Wingate, despite its price, was not one of those halo models.

3. The Wingate targeted the “luxury living room” buyer, not the “technical performance” buyer
RCA’s research in 1955–56 showed:

Buyers of ornate cabinets cared about furniture appearance, not chroma bandwidth.

Buyers who cared about picture performance bought the Deluxe-engineered models, which were usually plainer cabinets.

So RCA paired:

Fancy cabinets → Super chassis

Performance‑oriented cabinets → Deluxe chassis

The Wingate fell squarely into the first category.

4. The Super chassis was more reliable and cheaper to service
The CTC‑5A Super chassis:

had simpler R‑Y/B‑Y demodulation

required fewer precision parts

was easier for field techs to align

had fewer callbacks

For a big, heavy console like the Wingate, RCA prioritized service stability over maximum color sharpness.