🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Unusual 12 v light bulb

[cellerfeller]

I found this in a box of ham radio and avionics stuff I got years ago. It has some interesting marks on it - looks like 1945 with the British broad arrow. I have no idea what it was from or what it was used for.

 

[Tony in SC]

Being 12v I would say mid 50's or later. I would also it's an antivibration socket?

 

[Red-Coat]

Yes, the broad arrow indicates this was government-issue, with the ‘W D’ standing for ‘War Department’. The ‘1945’ will be the actual date of production. The connection fitting is of the type used for signalling lamps, as seen on this WWII example from 'Mazda' (General Electric) and believed to be for an 'Aldis' daylight signalling lamp (also 36W, but 24V):



If you Google for “British WWII Daylight Signalling Lamp” you’ll see that these came in a wide variety of configurations and accessorised kits, in various powers but generally battery operated at 12V or 24V. They were used by both the Army and Navy… mostly for morse code transmissions

 

[cellerfeller]

Yes, the broad arrow indicates this was government-issue, with the ‘W D’ standing for ‘War Department’. The ‘1945’ will be the actual date of production. The connection fitting is of the type used for signalling lamps, as seen on this WWII example from 'Mazda' (General Electric) and believed to be for an 'Aldis' daylight signalling lamp (also 36W, but 24V):

View attachment 2091237

If you Google for “British WWII Daylight Signalling Lamp” you’ll see that these came in a wide variety of configurations and accessorised kits, in various powers but generally battery operated at 12V or 24V. They were used by both the Army and Navy… mostly for morse code transmissions

Excellent explanation - thank you!