1/18 searchlight

[aferguson]

i was poking around for something i could use as a functional 1/18 sized searchlight for an idea i had and found this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Good-Earth-Li ... k/21781847

Size looks very good for a medum sized searchlight from ww2 or ww1 for that matter. Should throw a nice, realistic beam. Modify the look of the base a bit, add a couple of custom searchlight crew figures and this could work for a british or german searchlight.

[Threetoughtrucks]

I'd rather have one more realistic.

My 1/6 light with an internal battery.


TTT

[aferguson]

yes well unfortunately there's nothing like that in 1/18. I was looking over pics of wwi and wwii era searchlights and the one i pointed out is not bad in size and shape and could be made to look more realistic than you might think. And it'll be quite bright.

How bright is your 1/6?

[Jnewboy]

I like your idea Aferg! I wish that a Pickelhaube would make a "shell" that looked like TTT search light but fit right over one of those lights! Would look great in the evening posed next to an 88mm and crew

[Threetoughtrucks]

My 1/6 light is not very bright, looks nice in a dark room but like a weak flashlight but it wasn't really meant to find those pesky B-25's and B-17's. Next to my quad 20mm, it's set to find those P-51's and P-47's.

Back view:


TTT

[granch]

Threetoughtrucks, it souldn't be a big problem to replace a traditionnal, week pocket light bulb with an hallogen one or a LCD: you've got anough place in you searchlight. I'm surprised to see how strong a LCD light can be (and with a narrow beam), with only 3 or 5 mm diameter bulb. I've mounted one in/under the nose of my BBI Blackhawk, and now I'm sorry to have customsed 3 years ago my Little Bird with a traditionnal, week bicycle light...

[Jesse James]

I'm working on lighting a figure... good lord is it a pain.

That said, how does that yard light work exactly? Just plug it in type thing? How would one personally go about rigging new lighting into it? Assuming you don't want the cord? $1 store lights are my personal choices.

I'm actually working on 2 figure lighting projects, not just one... Kinda secretive because in SW customizing people like to lift ideas (especially if you're slow with your projects, like I am). I'm keeping these two close to the vest till I'm done. been a bit of trial and error anyway.

[skypirate]

You might consider a Maglite LED retrofit or Maglite LED conversion kit. As mentioned by granch, LEDs tend to be very directional and throw out of respectable amount of light with a couple of AAs.

Just be careful about the amount of heat they throw off.

[skypirate]

I'd rather have one more realistic.

My 1/6 light with an internal battery.


TTT

BTW, that searchlight photographs very nicely.

[granch]

LED have all a resistance, some eBay seller have them mounted and wired for very few money. LED also need a higher voltage, but with 3 very small batteries with the same shape than money pieces, it shouldn't be difficult to hide in a searchlight.