What the heck is that? I found this one on ebay and it was one I didn't recognize. It has little stylized wings on the lugs. I went through all the ads from 1945 to 1955 as well as all the short ads from 1940 through 1959 to no avail. Went through the entire database - nada. Finally, out of options, I went to the earliest linebook 1955 - 1957 hoping for a miracle and Bingo! there it was. Did a double take when I saw the ID, and immediately did a buy it now - best offer accepted.
I never would have expected the name. Linebook shows hand written date of 1955 next to illustration and description is overstamped "Discontinued". Not listed in 1956 or 1957. Dealer price is crossed out and reduced, leading me to believe the watch was a marketing flop and by 1955 Bulova was selling off overstock at a reduced price to get rid of them.
Watch has a good balance and will run a few seconds with a shake or flick of the balance wheel and stops. Hopefully it just needs a standard service. Dial is pristine and case shows only the slightest plating "tipping" wear.
I have to believe this is a "hen's teeth" watch.
1952 SKY KING
I bought one off of EBay recently, too, a 1952. Just puzzles me that there are lots of references to a Sky King in the 1930s but almost nothing in the 1950s as your research showed. And why no mention in the 1940s? Maybe Bulova decided to bring the name back in the 1950s - possibly because of the popularity of the TV show - and, as you said, it was a flop.