TNR Shoulder Lamp
The TNR Shoulder Lamp,[1] also known as the Personal Light Unit[2] or simply the flashlight, is a heavy duty torch issued to combat personnel in the United States Colonial Marine Corps. It is typically attached to the Marines' M3 Pattern Personal Armor.[3]
Overview
The lamp is powered by a rechargeable internal battery, while the halogen white-light bulb itself is mounted on a poseable neck.[1] The unit is typically mounted on a dedicated bracket fitted behind the left shoulder of the standard M3 armor vest, although it is also fitted with a carrying handle to allow it to be detached and used as a hand-held torch.[1][3]
Newer models have a remote neck, which is connected to the Marine's helmet and automatically moves the light beam to match the direction in which the Marine is looking.[4]
Behind the Scenes
A TNR Shoulder Lamp (presumably a prop used in Aliens).[5]
In Aliens, the TNR Shoulder Lamp's main body is made from a model 6000 intruder alarm made by UK company Superswitch Electrical Appliances Ltd. from Camberley, Surrey.[5] These same alarms can be seen in their original form, used as door switches in the operations center.[5][3] For the TNR, the keypad and sensor were removed and replaced with plasticard panels.[5]
Additionally, a handle from a Technisub La Spirotechnique diving lamp[6] (which can be seen in the hands of a salvager at the beginning of the film) was added to the alarm along with an arm from a portable video camera which, according to Terry Reed, was of German origin (it does look remarkably like a lamp from the 'Reportalight' range).[5]
The lamp itself is a Reflecta video lighting lamp model 3002. The lamps were able to operate from both internal Ni-Cad rechargeable batteries or an external 12V power supply. In some costume continuity Polaroids, a long black coiled lead can clearly be seen. According to Del Bennett (who was responsible for the practical lighting on Aliens), the battery versions were only able to give about 20 minutes of light before needing to be recharged. This would indicate that multiples of the lamps were made, perhaps along the same lines as the armor costumes at three sets per character.[5]
Two prop lamps from Aliens.[7]
According to 1st Unit call sheet No. 2 there were 14 lamps total used at the Acton filming location on October 1, 1985. This source states that there were 5 250w lamps on set, the other 9 were battery operated. The two original prop lamps shown to the right contain rechargeable batteries.[7]
Appearances
- Aliens (First Appearance)
- Aliens: Newt's Tale
- Aliens versus Predator (video game)
- Aliens versus Predator 2
- Aliens vs. Predator (video game)
- Aliens: Infestation
- Aliens: Colonial Marines (video game)
Gallery
.jpg "Shoulder Lamp (1).jpg (114 KB)")
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lee Brimmicombe-Wood. 'Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual', p. 30 (1996), HarperPrism.
- ↑ Simon Atheron. Props: Personal Light Unit (2003), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 James Cameron (writer and director). Aliens (1986), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
- ↑ 'Aliens vs. Predator' (2010), Rebellion [Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360].
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "The Harry Harris Aliens Collection & Archive: Hudson". Retrieved on August 24, 2014.
- ↑ "USCM Shoulder Lamp and Helmet Camera Help?". Retrieved on August 24, 2014.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Aliens Archive | Aliens | Marines | Apone | Marine Shoulder Lamp". Retrieved on August 24, 2014.