new to tubes

[dtvmcdonald]

Its a 0.047 microfarad paper capacitor. Replace with a like value
600 volt mylar. It may be directly across the AC line, so you
need a really high quality one.

These striped caps are known as "bumblebees" and they really
tend to behave like that one.

By the way, that blue thing is a selenium rectifier. If the radio
starts to stink very very bad, it's the cause. Bad ones cause the
selenium to react with its paint and make hydrogen selenide gas,
with is roughly 10 times time as poisonous as hydrogen cyanide.

If that happens, take it out doors immediately.

Doug McDonald

[Jerryhawthorne]

Nice to have new people in the hobby. Listen to the advise. Nice radio but you have some parts in there that are ready to give up the ghost. You just found one! As said, that cap is probably across the A/C line and with age, when they give up, short out and tend to explode! There are a few other caps in there that should be replaced as well. As this is a newer radio (so to speak) you will have to find someone who can link you to a schematic from "SAMS" that published schematics for post WW2 radios. Going through and replacing any of those nice bumblebee caps and the couple of electrolytic caps should get that radio back and singing nicely and safely.
Enjoy the hobby, it's a lot of fun. I should add that this radio is an AC/DC radio. That means there is no power transformer in it to isolate you and your body from some nasty shocks. Do NOT do any work on the radio, touching the chassis if it is plugged into the wall, even if you have the on/off switch turned off. Always unplug the radio when touching the bare chassis.
Jerry