Thanks, Bruce. And most of it's actually TRUE! (I guessed at the China/Mexico part. I have no idea where they're actually made but I suspect some third-world country. I know if you purchase a new Cessna rocker switch, it'll be marked "Mexico" and the last light-bulb I bought was marked "China.")
Here's an important service tip: These bulbs are high-intensity and generate a lot of heat on their glass domes. Never handle the bulb's by their glass with your bare hands. Oil from your fingers will cause the glass to locally overheat and fail prematurely in service. Always install them using a clean, dry cloth or paper towel. If you accidentally touch the glass, then use alcohol to clean your fingerprints off it. (Probably doesn't matter with automotive bulbs, but it's good practice anyway and at least it'll keep the NTSB guessing who made the substitution.)
On another note, there IS a time it may pay to convert to the later Whelen 1285 sytem: When you decide to install Whelen wingtip strobes. I've had several cases where someone wanted to add the "piggyback" system to their original Grimes type "E" wingtip nav fixtures and found it not to be a good match/fit. They eventually just bit the bullet and bought the entire nav/strobe fixture from Whelen ...or they converted to the Whelen A-1285 fixture...and then added the piggyback system they'd already purchased.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention. An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
Just checked my current (2005,#26) Chief catalog-- they list the TC7512-12 wingtip nav bulb @ $10.75, the GE93 tail nav bulb @ $1.50, and the GE1777 tail nav bulbs @ $6.24. Instead of being cheaper, they list the Whelen W1290-14 tail nav bulb @ $19.50.
In an attempt to replace the tail nav light on the trailing edge of the rudder, ordered Aricraft Spruces Grimes Early Model C Model B-1943-4 P/N 11-07200 (new surplus) $110.95 page 420. Hope they take it back. It must be for something the size of a DC-3, nice though.
My old Grimes unit that I would like to replace only has part of the part number remaining - 3510 I think, it's very hard to read. Anybody know the part number and if it is available?
Looking at my Spruce catalog, I think the one you wanted is the Grimes Model S tail light- spruce p/n A-2064 ...$96. Takes the #93 bulb as discussed here.
Looked at my 1948 IPC today-- figure 13 item 28, "light assembly,tail, p/n A-2064 (Cessna print 0433006)". So according to that info & the listing in the Spruce catalog, the Grimes model S is the right one.
(I guessed at the China/Mexico part. I have no idea where they're actually made but I suspect some third-world country. I know if you purchase a new Cessna rocker switch, it'll be marked "Mexico" and the last light-bulb I bought was marked "China.")
