Surefire A2 Aviator. Pics, Patent and Serial numbers

[Superdave]

I just got finished modding the LED ring in mine.. the new CREE cool whites make a much better beam, they don't throw as far as the old blue ones but overall seem much more usefull.

I bet i could drive them a little harder but this is plenty and might even become my EDC for a while. :twothumbs


oh yah, i also put one of the Cree's in my old school stylus penlight. it was a nice bump in brightness, might swap out the 4.7 ohm resistor with a 2 ohm to drive it a bt harder though. :thumbsup:

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I just got finished modding the LED ring in mine.. the new CREE cool whites make a much better beam, they don't throw as far as the old blue ones but overall seem much more usefull.

I bet i could drive them a little harder but this is plenty and might even become my EDC for a while. :twothumbs


oh yah, i also put one of the Cree's in my old school stylus penlight. it was a nice bump in brightness, might swap out the 4.7 ohm resistor with a 2 ohm to drive it a bt harder though. :thumbsup:

Is that Cree cool white LED a direct replace of the 5mm Nichias?

 

[bullfrog]

A57812 here.

Round-Sided, RED led's with US PAT 5629105, 6222138, 6547415, 6712485, 6841941.

Have it sporting the strion kit with an oregonshooter tail

I know this is heresy, but, its up for sale as I just don't use it anymore :shakehead

 

[Illum]

Re: Surefire A2 Aviator

Danpass, thats a terrific photo of your A2

I made some pics using what I have, no where as detailed as yours though






A31798, Flat bezel, THC3 LED
Carrot made me do it...that b_st_rd got me into this mess and I couldn't stop buying A2s for awhile... I had three but managed to sell it at a very cheap price...and guess where that went?

 

[danpass]

cool

 

[Sgt. LED]

A10369 4 flats.

Put on a short clip.

Replaced the old flat bezel that had heavier OP with a lightly crenellated one with a smoother OP.

Replaced the blue tinted white led's with white tinted white DS LED's.

Glued a green trit behind each LED.

Put in a Strion Kit.

The old driver in it didn't push the Strion Kit to it's full potential so I pulled the entire electronics package from the body and swapped it with a new package.

Yanked off the lanyard ring.

Put an Oregon Shooter tail ring on it.

It's pretty nice. I think it's as modded as it can be. Can anyone think of anything further?

 

[danpass]

I tried to add a poll with ranges of serial numbers. Maybe we'll start a new one similar to the Ra Clicky Serial Registry



edit: ok here it is: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/220469


.

I've asked that it be deleted since the multi-choice doesn't work (I had asked that it be fixed but that hasn't happened).

Maybe it only didn't work for that one poster though lol.

 

[Superdave]

Is that Cree cool white LED a direct replace of the 5mm Nichias?

as far as fit? yes..

I don't know the Vf of the old blue LED's but these Cree's are 3.2 norm and 4.0 max.

I'll try to take a long exposure beamshot similar to the one i have of the old Blues to show the difference.


*edit

Here is a wall shot @ 5 feet, 2 sec exposure. The throw isn't there for sure but the beam quality is drastically better. It still lights up a dark room, or a dark area inside one of the machines at work.

and since we are taking pics of books.. i remembered that i had this book from when i was a kid.

Lit with a bounce of a P90 lamp and a UV dropin. lol

 

[danpass]

well ......... I did it. Sanded the red LEDs.

In my excitement though I didn't take a pic of the original beam pattern

The sanded beam is a gorgeous diffuse pattern. some of the beam strength is knocked off so it does works best (with the red) in a darkened area.

I had "practiced" on the red LED of my Energizer headlamp using 220 paper and didn't really like the result.

At the auto store I looked at using 1500 grit paper but again that's paper.

So I went with the old standby, a foam block

and cut a corner off to make it easier to use. I held each LED at its base (the raised part above the metal leads) with needlenose pliers.

 

[danpass]

No one else has the movie Top Gun ?

 

[rgp4544]

Re: Surefire A2 Aviator

Loving the A2 is easy and mine was an introduction to a high quality incandescent. Now that Surefire is switching the new A2 to an all Led format I am sort of bummed out because I love the beam color and quality produced by Surefire incans. I know that leds are getting warmer and softer but having a regulated incandescent is a really beautiful thing that I hope we don't loose. Personally, I am looking forward to getting an onion ring upgrade so I can turn my green to white and possibly red as well.

When is SF introducing an all LED A2 and are there any details about it yet? Is it still going to be an A2 in size and shape?

I knew they intended to make the UA2 and UB2 but those are quite a bit bigger than an A2.

 

[Illum]

No one else has the movie Top Gun ?

I have ground control...does that count?

 

[danpass]

Ok so I sanded my LEDs as shown above and its a nice diffuse light and a bit softer.
But .......... its just a tad too soft.

I was hoping 320grit would be fine enough especially in that foam format but apparently not (for me).

I can get 1500grit paper at pepboys but should I try a polishing compound with my fingers or *gasp* will I have to do both lol


I figure what I'm looking for is to get back 1-2 lumens

 

[Sgt. LED]

I'd go for 2000 and be done with it.

:thumbsup:

 

[Solscud007]

Ok so I drove to NYC to visit a friend yesterday. On the way I stopped by the other Cabela's store in Pennsylvania. The other one is in Wheeling, WV. About 60 miles south of Pittsburgh.


ANYWAY, in the clearance area aka Bargain Cave, I found a SF A2 4 flats for $130. But considerin I bought $50 pants for $14, I like to think that my A2 only cost $100 bucks. My first A2 and it is a 4 flats.

My bezel does not have the "caution hot" etching

Anybody know where I can get the oregon shooter tail? I would really like to get one for my A2 and kroma.

S/N: A12708

Digital Plus Series
--------+----------
A2 Aviator

 

[PinarelloOnly]

I love the low but very usable output of the yellow/green LED's

 

[Wetterman]

Here's two. I have two four-flats and two rounds. The other four-flats is my EDC and that has some dings. Been carrying it around for years. The one in the pic has been turned on once.

 

[Size15's]

Here's two. I have two four-flats and two rounds. The other four-flats is my EDC and that has some dings. Been carrying it around for years. The one in the pic has been turned on once.

Are you sure it doesn't have three curved panels (there's one under the clip)?
I'm not sure I've seen a SureFire body with only two curved panels... :thinking:

 

[jwyj]

Here's mine,

Still searching for red and uv.

 

[novice]

jwyj,
I saw a UV A2 on the marketplace not too terribly long ago. You might try searching to see if it ever sold or is still available.

Can anyone explain why the white leds are so much less 'ringy' than, for example, the red? I have both, but am resisting the urge to do the sanding job (but thanks for the sanding block tips), because of warranty issues.