Gen 1 Whelen Commander Glass Internal Optics, possible Origin Story

[StEaLtH2]

I sure miss him and his “laboratory”!!

 

[JohnMarcson]

I sure miss him and his “laboratory”!!

He is alive and well, just stepped back. His epic collection is in storage (in an undisclosed location) while he moves.

 

[dmathieu]

I miss the vintage content and volumes the "older guys" used to have.
The above thread is a great example.

 

[RS485]

More pics from another ELBer with a similar 5000 (the flashtube looks like "70"):

Very early Whelen 5000 Commander strobe (glass fresnal) ( hose clamp latch)

I just picked up this very early Whelen 5000 Commander strobe. It has the first generation four sided glass fresnal, before Whelen changed over to the round plastic. It also has the early "hose clamp" style latch for the dome retaining band. When this was first posted by the previous owner, it...

elightbars.org

 

[JohnMarcson]

More pics from another ELBer with a similar 5000 (the flashtube looks like "70"):

Very early Whelen 5000 Commander strobe (glass fresnal) ( hose clamp latch)

I just picked up this very early Whelen 5000 Commander strobe. It has the first generation four sided glass fresnal, before Whelen changed over to the round plastic. It also has the early "hose clamp" style latch for the dome retaining band. When this was first posted by the previous owner, it...

elightbars.org

Nice find. That one has the label like mine but the internal base plate and rivet spacing suggest a mounted contained power supply beneath. Mine unfortunately did not come with a bulb, and the one in it is a replacement that I installed.

 

[dmathieu]

1000, predecessor to 1200.

 

[RS485]

Last page of a 1978 aircraft "CATALOG E" (courtesy of @JohnMarcson):

Please note this part:

If there's any evidence of a viable Whelen PS presented to the market place prior to '67. I would _love_ to hear about it.

 

[SoloRTP]

RS485 wanted to know about Whelen strobes prior to 1967.

I owned a plane which was built in 1958, and had a Whelen strobe on the tail, listed in the original equipment table as the plane was delivered.

 

[SoloRTP]

RS485 wanted to know about Whelen strobes prior to 1967.

I owned a plane which was built in 1958, and had a Whelen strobe on the tail, listed in the original equipment table as the plane was delivered.

Actually, I have to slightly amend this.

I needed to replace the assembly in the mid-1990s, and the part number came back to a Whelen strobe. Anyone who knows anything about general aviation knows that you can't just swap original equipment to something else without approval (and appropriate paperwork), so even though the table didn't specify that it was a Whelen Model Whatever, since only that one unit had that part number, that's the only thing that was approved.

 

[RS485]

Actually, I have to slightly amend this.

I needed to replace the assembly in the mid-1990s, and the part number came back to a Whelen strobe. Anyone who knows anything about general aviation knows that you can't just swap original equipment to something else without approval (and appropriate paperwork), so even though the table didn't specify that it was a Whelen Model Whatever, since only that one unit had that part number, that's the only thing that was approved.

If you still have it, I'd be happy to buy it off ya! but would be very disappointed to find it to contain parts made in 1967

 

[SoloRTP]

If you still have it, I'd be happy to buy it off ya! but would be very disappointed to find it to contain parts made in 1967

Sold the plane a few years ago. The strobe that had to be replaced was dead, I hadn't kept it.