Time to do what the internet does best--needlessly detailed reviews of a pointless topic. Today we'll be talking about the ACR Model 101, better known as the Chromalloy 5 Year Light. Thanks to Bambuino for bringing this completely forgotten flashlight into the spotlight: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/my-first-flashlight-intrigue.481520/
Some background before we begin: ACR Electronics has been a leading maker of marine emergency strobes and EPIRBs for a long time. No surprise NASA tapped them to make flashlights for the early space program, back before high quality pocket lights were a thing. They created a few models, probably the best known one being a brass light made for Apollo and used through the '80s. All the lights were conceptually similar to what we're familiar with today. Basically, an AA-sized, all-machined, rotary switch flashlight. (These two photos credit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum)
Another part of these programs was creating shelf-stable battery technology. This is what they decided to rely on to take advantage of the moon landings' popularity and sell a flashlight to consumers. They created a very unique, compact disposable flashlight based around a long-life dry cell battery--The 5 Year Light. Unfortunately low quality, too, despite the NASA association. Think stuff sold through a novelty catalog like Sharper Image or Harriet Carter. Book description:
The lights are in nice presentation-type boxes with a small owner's sheet. What appears be the earlier box references the moon landings. The later one doesn't, possibly because the space race became old news even during the later Apollo missions. Our example has a $6 price tag from the Miller & Rhoads department store. In context, that's almost five times the price of a "Heavy Duty" 2D-cell plastic flashlight from Radio Shack in 1978, but less than half the cost of the smallest contemporary Kel-Lite (keep in mind police flashlights back then were the only "high end" flashlights available, and all had Surefire-tier pricing.)
Next we'll take a deep dive into the construction and operation.
Some background before we begin: ACR Electronics has been a leading maker of marine emergency strobes and EPIRBs for a long time. No surprise NASA tapped them to make flashlights for the early space program, back before high quality pocket lights were a thing. They created a few models, probably the best known one being a brass light made for Apollo and used through the '80s. All the lights were conceptually similar to what we're familiar with today. Basically, an AA-sized, all-machined, rotary switch flashlight. (These two photos credit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum)
Another part of these programs was creating shelf-stable battery technology. This is what they decided to rely on to take advantage of the moon landings' popularity and sell a flashlight to consumers. They created a very unique, compact disposable flashlight based around a long-life dry cell battery--The 5 Year Light. Unfortunately low quality, too, despite the NASA association. Think stuff sold through a novelty catalog like Sharper Image or Harriet Carter. Book description:
The lights are in nice presentation-type boxes with a small owner's sheet. What appears be the earlier box references the moon landings. The later one doesn't, possibly because the space race became old news even during the later Apollo missions. Our example has a $6 price tag from the Miller & Rhoads department store. In context, that's almost five times the price of a "Heavy Duty" 2D-cell plastic flashlight from Radio Shack in 1978, but less than half the cost of the smallest contemporary Kel-Lite (keep in mind police flashlights back then were the only "high end" flashlights available, and all had Surefire-tier pricing.)
Next we'll take a deep dive into the construction and operation.
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Thanks Mr Ed for that.
