WM-F45

The WM-F45 is the radio-equipped companion to the WM-35, released in 1986 as part of Sony's early Sports Walkman family. It keeps the same oversized sealed chassis and basic single-direction cassette mechanism, while adding an AM/FM tuner integrated into the door assembly. The three-position tape-type selector remains in place, and Sony left out both Dolby and auto-reverse in order to keep the player simple and durable. The yellow shell and straightforward latch system already carry much of the identity the Sports line would become known for.

Sony was filling out the outdoor range with practical variations instead of pushing every model upward in features. The WM-F45 was meant for users who wanted the same water-resistant cassette player but with radio added, not as a luxury but as a useful extension of the format. It sits in that early phase before the Sports line became more compact, more feature-dense, and more self-aware.