May I ask the forum if anyone recognises the below lamp as a military aircraft item?
It was used as a navigator’s lamp ( in this instance set to illuminate a HALDA Tripmaster unit ) in a rally car that dates from 1971, and I’ve heard such lamps being referred to as ‘P Lights’, but don’t know if that’s just a nickname.
Flexi map reading lamps were made and sold to the general public by the likes of Avanti, Alexander, Wipac, Hella and many others in the 60s and 70s – but this isn’t one of them. Seen similar-ish on some military Land Rover Defenders ( Wolf? ) too, but again not the same thing.
It has a distinctive domed end on it, and emits a slightly eerie blue/green light. It’s painted in what I would describe as olive drab, which makes me think it is military and/or aircraft-related.
Does anyone recognise it?
Thank you!
By: Ross_McNeill - 19th October 2013 at 14:19
Cowan’s East African Safari 1600 Lancer built by Ralliart was the only Japanese factory rally car I spent any time in during the mid/late 70s.
That was Butler/Twin master fit with white light bulbs.
Since you say the lamp is blue/green source it would suggest a lighting system compatible with early NVG (white light saturates the optics). Most US surplus gear of the Vietnam era would not have been NVG compatible.
1970s US rather than Japanese would be more common on lighting fits of that time but the combination of high tech (for that era) NVG compatible lighting with tripmaster rather than the higher spec twin master is odd.
Although the shade is similar to Type C (yes – standard or cut to suit options) I think a US rather than RAF original source.
Regards
Ross
By: Arabella-Cox - 19th October 2013 at 13:27
This one looks to have the military Cockpit Lamp Type C shade but not the usual bulb holder. The separate switch is unusual too so I inclined to say that this was a surplus home brew rather than off the shelf rallypart.
Ross,
Thank you for your input.
Yes, I feel sure it’s not an off-the-shelf automotive rally part and that it is certainly military – but what exactly? You mention the ‘Cockpit Lamp Type C’ ( thank you! ) and that’s an interesting clue. I have seen a line drawing of the Type C which showed a domed end like this one, and ( am I correct? ) it seemed that the aperture in the domed Type C could be cut to preference / spec.
The car in my photos was built in Japan in 1971, and the lamp was 100% for sure fitted there too. My feeling was that this was very likely to be an American surplus item ( or customised from parts of, as you suggest ) or a very rare Japanese military item. One line of enquiry I followed suggested that it was from a military helicopter ( a ‘Huey’ was suggested ) but I don’t think that’s the case.
I really want to get to the bottom of it!
By: Ross_McNeill - 19th October 2013 at 12:26
Strewth that takes me back.
Fiddling under the dash setting up the Halda (usually a twin master) for the wheels and rims we were using.
Had to put in the calibration gears and do a couple of runs along the measured mile. Then look up the actual gears needed on the paper chart. Had to do this for knobblies and slicks then dyno tape the required settings above the tripmaster for digging out the bag and fitting when required on the event.
After you had set a few for others in the club you ended up with a bag of calibration gears and shortage of the ones you wanted.
Back to the flexi light – the most common was the Butler but this had an open end shade and pushbutton on the fixing end. The open ended shade was fine for map illumination for over the shoulder or down lighting the map but could be very distracting for the driver on night events. Also set up internal reflections on the screen.
Avanti/Les Leston/Paddy Hopkirk etc had an enclosed shade with a rectangular slot which was better for stopping glare and gave controllable direction.
Best of all was directed illumination on the Halda and a pottie for the map. No glare but bags of 1 inch map magnification but you needed to be adept at juggling.
This one looks to have the military Cockpit Lamp Type C shade but not the usual bulb holder. The separate switch is unusual too so I inclined to say that this was a surplus home brew rather than off the shelf rallypart.
Regards
Ross
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October 19, 2013 at 11:24 am