ESB style Falcon interior light

Got hold of the industrial light today, thought I would try and turn it in to a working ESB Falcon light - some time soon. Please excuse the Atari-like 8bit photo, it took me virtually minutes to learn how to take this authentic 70's looking picture... with my watch, lol.



Here's a rough outline of the backplate, which seems to follow the same diameter as the original light's reflector dish, at 230mm - but that doesn't come with the light fitting.

EDIT: Had to change the outline pic's inner circle as the diameter of the actual light cap is 5mm smaller than stated on the manufacturer's site - though the diameter of the inner circle is not that important as no light shines through the edge of that part - so it could be as small as you want.

Updated pic


The outline is as close as can be in proportions, as in the movie it looks like the plates are all hand cut, so all are slightly different. It will probably get re-drawn if I decide to send a blueprint off for someone to cut it properly in a solid heat-proof material. Any suggestions on where to get things like this cut (in or around London) in a good and cheap material for use with a 40watt bulb would be cool.

Will attach this one to a jazzed up reading or floor lamp, then eventually get one, two or five fixed in to a MF (ANH and ESB style) wall pad for display lighting.

While waiting for companies to return quotes for cutting out the light fitting surround, thought I'd look for something to use as a light switch - then I found this...

...this.


Took some serious hours worth of guessing and searching, obviously a sensor and something like an oil cap and then typing "WW2" in to the search - deep joy!

This is the one I picked up earlier in the week. It's an Oil Pressure Transmitter, made by Rochester Manufacturing Co. Inc. If the 'return to depot' ticket is correct, it was distributed in 1943 to the UK for use with several fighters/bombers from Spitfires to Lancasters to B17 Fortresses. The ticket says it was returned as 'unused' surplus in 1947.

NOTE: If you are looking for one, check out the layout of the fins first. Two of the top four fins have a greater gap mis-alignment to the lower fins - as in the ESB pic. A slightly different version was produced with all four top fins equally aligned.

Most impressive

Nice sleuthing!

I picked up a couple Coughtrie lights myself.
I have some good reference to draw up blueprints from and a friend that should be able to cut the plates from aluminum.

I still have no idea what the plates were originally in the movie, but they weren't hand cut. What might be fooling you is the three slots are filled with a milky white resin. The surface is a little uneven so it can make the edges look a little rough.

I was considering putting a circle of lightsheet behind the plate to avoid cutting holes in my walls. I'm not sure how bring that would be though. I was thinking a small push button could be hidden in the post mount hole in the center of the Coughtrie.

Nice find on that other wall piece!
You know the other wall light next to the circuitry bay doorway is also another Coughtrie design.

Hi Lonepigeon, yea the Coughtrie SW range is a good chunk of industrial styled ali and great to see they are still being produced after the company nearly folded a few years back. I'v been on the lookout for several months for a good quality original BD with the 'jelly mold' glass and paint intact but most I'v seen are either part destroyed or had the paint removed. They are still out there in old carparks and stairwells, lol.

I too think the plates could be based on a real item, or, at least one was real and used as a template with the rest hand cut - a few reasons for this include the irregularities in the edge cutting on each piece and again between the ones seen in close-up and those in background. Still working on finding this though (and better pics too) so all possibilities are open as far as I know.





Taking into account light distortion/blowout and angles, even those seen in close up are just a bit too irregular and easily bowed out of shape for hard industrial use, which makes me think the material used is not very solid, such as some kind of gasket material but the design doesn't totally say gasket to me. The lengths and positions of the two outer edge lugs also differ so not just flip turned and attached to the walls in reverse but cut to look different.

However, the odd lengths on the outer edge lugs does suggest that the original part would be fitted/pressed in to a housing and rotated an inch (left or right) in order to lock into place and that this piece is easily removed and replaced (if that makes sense). So far, I'v looked at gaskets, filters, motor covers, sprocket protectors, rotor guards, sonic diffusers, etc-etc, so we are closing in on it.

Cheers all.

I have a theory on the material used in the three slots, partly based on having used this sheet with light boxes in signage and dodgy disco light effects, in the mid 80s *shudders*.



The light shining through appears to have a similar diffusion characteristic to the strips in the cockpit. Looking closer at the door, the two silvery rectangular objects are actually off cuts with the bumpy side showing of prismatic diffuser sheet - and an even closer view either side of Luke's shoulders in the X-Wing.

I'll give it a try soon. It's frosted looking but would give that semi-white haze with a 100W bulb behind it. But on the lamp I'm putting together the lower wattage bulb may just make it look like a tad too disco ball so may go with the thinest milky white gel.

I like the idea of an on/off button in the post hole, cool, maybe a clear button to allow some light through. Good stuff! I'm going to attempt a simple push on/off thing inside the transmitter so just a gentle tap of the sensor to operate.

You're a true detective!

Wavey said:

I have a theory on the material used in the three slots, partly based on having used this sheet with light boxes in signage and dodgy disco light effects, in the mid 80s *shudders*.

Click to expand...

I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is no material 'behind' the three slots. The milky white plastic is flush with the surface of the slots. I'm guessing that the set builders did this by pouring resin in the form, but they could have been manufactured this way.

The round back pieces are metal. I'm guessing aluminum, but they might be steel. There are rivets between each of the slots that hold the circular piece to aluminum flashing hidden inside the walls (rivets and flashing added by set dept.).
I have very detailed reference I'm working from.

Cool infos, thanks Lonepigeon. Changes my build idea a little, lol.

For a moment there I thought maybe the inside of a food mixer or ice cream maker type thing. I really need a Habitat catalogue from 1974-78.

Has anyone made the backing plate?

Stormy320 said:

Has anyone made the backing plate?

Click to expand...

I laser cut a piece of MDF just last week!

lonepigeon said:

I was considering putting a circle of lightsheet behind the plate to avoid cutting holes in my walls.

Click to expand...

could you do it with a reflective surface and the bulb mounted inside the Coughtrie?

lonepigeon said:

I was considering putting a circle of lightsheet behind the plate to avoid cutting holes in my walls. I'm not sure how bring that would be though. I was thinking a small push button could be hidden in the post mount hole in the center of the Coughtrie..

Click to expand...

kruleworld said:

could you do it with a reflective surface and the bulb mounted inside the Coughtrie?

Click to expand...

I also don't see why you could'nt just use a ring of surface mount LEDs around the perimeter of the light base...It seems it has a little bit of a thickness along the base so the only issue would be trying to diffuse the light enough.