Paper A–12: Explosive Flashlight: A New Development in an Explosive Light Source
Jack Gershon, R. H. Stresau
An explosive flashlight has been developed at Armour Research Foundation for use as an ultra-high-speed photographic light source. The flashlight consists of a long Plexiglas cylinder $\frac{1}{4}$ in. ID by $\frac{1}{2}$ in. OD; the inside wall is partially lined with Du Pont EL 506A-8 sheet explosive and the interior is filled with argon gas. The duration of illumination is controlled by the length of the cylinder; the light reaches the required intensity in 10 μsec and has no effective tail. The light intensity is sufficient for microsecond color photography. — The light source also has the advantages of being (1) easily handled (because of its light weight and the safety of Du Pont sheet explosive); (2) easily preassembled and stored; and (3) waterproof. Since the duration of illumination can be varied, the flashlight is an appropriate light source for photographic applications where the light duration must match varying event times. This flashlight has been used as a light source for the Beckman & Whitley Model 189 Framing Camera.