TwinSonic Question

dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
I was just reading through the NYPD TwinSonic thread and I had a question. I am not an expert in everything, but from everything I've read, the TwinSonic "F" model had flashers that were rectangular in shape above the bottom half of a 12X mirror. However, the 12MEF pictured in the other thread has round flashers. Was this a custom option that was made for the NYPD, or were round flashers available on a TwinSonic model? Also, what does the M stand for in the 12MEF? I know the E was the exonomy model and the F was for flashers, but I don't know what the M was for.

Thank you for any information you can provide.
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
You pretty much answered your own question. The round flashers are part of the economy model, which when the flashers are added also removes the mirrors. M stands for mid length bar, 48" iirc. If it was only a 12me the mirrors would be different (v shaped I think) and it would have no flashers.
 

dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
Gotcha, so the economy level lights were just basic round lights while the higher end models had the rectangular flashers with the fresnel lenses?
 

toon80

Member
May 24, 2010
2,487
Laval, Canada
Is it me or the Economy model, although cheaper, seems more efficient in every way compared to the usual 12F with half cascade mirrors ? Besides lacking the half cascade effect, the flashers are bigger and the V mirror delivers nontheless. The half cascade mirrors also are exactly that: half heigth, so probably less than half as efficient as full height.
 
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Jun 18, 2013
3,709
PA
V mirrors would change the lettering to EVF or something similar on the tags.
I have a 12F that has metal Par 36 holders and no V mirrors..
 

dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
I agree with toon80, and based on the picture that ex416 provided, it does appear as if the E model with the V mirrors would be more effective, and looks better, than the 12F.
 
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coop359

Member
Apr 16, 2012
495
USA Tennessee
How about doing the CTS PAR 46 lights on both sides. That would be cool. I think Sireno had a lightbar back in the day with PAR 46 flashers.
 

dg0223

Member
Feb 20, 2011
703
USA/Texas
I think Federal Signal left a lot of good choices on the drawing board when it came to the TwinSonic. It was, and still is in many cases, the centerpiece of vintage lightbar collecting. It was a very nice looking lightbar, and I understand they got a lot of life out of it, and I'm sure they sold tons of them, but I do think there could have been more models offered. That said, I guess that idea gave way to the AeroDynic. Makes sense they'd put more money into a newer, more aerodynamic lightbar. I just think it would have been cool to see more options rather than just the cascade mirrors (or the flashers) along the inner portion of the bar.
 

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