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 Post subject: Late model Vega
PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:41 am 

Location: Chicago
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She's a beauty.


Whoops... wrong vega.



For anyone who has wondered what the lamp handle is made from...


A little back story...


A while back I was searching for the elusive spear gun that might be the base for Fett's ESB sidearm.

Eventually (among other close looking spear guns)
I came across this:

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This is a (vintage) Technisub La Spirotechnique Spear gun.

It looked like an interesting lead, so I thought I would dig a little further.
Researching "Technisub La Spirotechnique" at one point lead to a small Italian diving message forum.

Didn't know what they were talking about but, among the pics posted in that thread, I saw this:

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I wondered for a second why I knew what this was.

Then Bam! I realized what I was looking at and almost fell off my chair.

This is a "Technisub La Spirotechnique" dive torch, produced under a line of lamps they titled the "Vega".

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But, typing any string of words that include "Technisub" and "Vega" into a search engine, only results in finding a 1000 pictures of the
Technisub "Vega 2".

Image

This is actually the third version of the Vega and was Technisub's
reintroduction of the lamp after the original versions were unproduced for many years.


In fact, Technisub is now (2006) phasing in their newest Vega dive torch, the "Vega35".

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This is Actually a little more reminiscent of the older style.

The "older style" would be this:

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This is the "Technisub - La Spirotechnique, Nuova Vega" dive lamp and is the correct dive torch to create an accurate USCM Shoulder Lamp.

After the discontinuation of the original model, Technisub produced
the "Nuova Vega" (New Vega).
This second (above) model was produced until 1992.

This is the "signature edition" of the lamp that was produced in conjunction with "La Spirotechnique".

(Technisub & La Spirotechnique are both sub-companies of "Aqua-Lung International" )

* La Spirotechnique:
This French company was formed in 1947 to develop the patent for the first AQUA-LUNG regulator invented by Jacques Cousteau and Emile Gagnan. Cousteau was a member of the Board of La Spirotechnique.


NUOVA VEGA TECHNISUB

200 mt of depth
20 watt
1 hour duration
6 batteries

Marked: Technisub-laSpirotechnique
Material: plastic polymer
Dimensions: 24x12,5 cm

All inner and external pieces, including the
body of the lamp, are made of polymer.

Above shows red details and black writing.
It was also available with red details and yellow writing:

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and.. Yellow details, black writing:
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I recently found that the lamp was also produced as the
"Vega Electronic Mk", without the La Spiro name attached:

(All black)
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After the huge amount of time gathering this information, one question kept pressing me...
"Why was this old model called the "Nuova (New) Vega"?

Technisub was no help.
They claimed to only have knowledge of the Nuova version and said even that was produced so long ago that they don't even have product photos anymore.
They claimed the Nuova was number one and the new model is accuratly titled the "Vega2".

With a constant eye on the internet, I found an owner of an original Vega torch and they were kind enough to send me what may possibly be the only existing photos of an original Vega...

Image

This is an original "Vega-Lampada Subacquea".
It was introduced over 3 decades ago and discontinued over 20 years ago.

It has an adjustable light cone and magnetic switches.
It is powered by 6 D cell, 1.5V batteries.
Guaranteed depth: 200 meters.

I almost consider the pics I have of the Subacquea as some of my rarest USCM pics, and they're not even directly related.


If someone were/ is unable to locate a Vega.
(I'd say it's eaiser to find than an alarm box, but tougher than the 560 mic)

The "Technisub 35" (up top) might make a decent alternative.
As well as this:

Image


This is the "Omersub- Showlight" and has similar stylings to the Technisub.
These are available in 35w and 10w, and are listed as the
"Showlight 35W R" and the "Showlight 10W".


There you have it...
All you ever wanted to know about the Lamp handle.



- Damian
TK 826


fyi...

* It's all neatly typed up here but this lamp proved to be one of the toughest prop items I've ever researched.
Reference material and even any mention of it on the net is virtually non existant.

**Collected info for years and have been able to document 12 examples of the Vega.


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Last edited by TS826 on Wed Jul 04, 2007 6:34 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:08 pm 
Lifer
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Location: **Hamilton** Active Duty: USS Socorro
Country: Canada
Wow! Nice find there, and what a backstory!

Congratulations on your efforts!!

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:19 pm 
Singing the doom song...
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Location: Bromley, UK
Service Number: A11/TQ1.0.32150E1
Country: United Kingdom
Always amazes me when people manage to identify prop parts. Real nice detective work, there :D

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Weyland-Yutani: Their projects are intentionally full of bugs. Avoid!


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:30 pm 
Mad Cat
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Location: Active duty: USS Catalpa
Service Number: AO3/TQ6.0.79749E8
Country: United States
I'll say.
Excellent detective work and history writeup!

I can imagine eBay has now been floded with searches for this item. I only hope that when it is, that word doesn't seap out and cause the price to go through the roof.


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:00 pm 

Location: Chicago
I had strongly thought about the price jumping beyond their true value.

When first looking, the price was pretty low.
As time went on I began seeing more and more buyers with scuba diving themed user names and the price seemed to climb little by little.

Although, (if no one goes into a crazy bidding war) the current asking price is still very reasonable.


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:22 pm 
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Location: Yo Momma
Country: United Kingdom
Great work and a very cool write up on the history,

I recently picked up the all black version, the "Technisub Vega Electronik Mk".

I couldn't understand where the French connection came in with the torches as mine does not have the La Spiro name on it as you said above. Now I know though. Best part of the all black version I guess is that I don't need to paint over the yellow or red parts :)

Cheers

Darren


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:26 pm 
Spec Ops.
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Location: USA
Thanks for sharing your research with the rest of us grunts, Damian. I would say that this topic is well worth archiving. :)

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:46 pm 
Ready to get it on!
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Location: Surrey-UK
indeed, thanks for sharing the info 8)


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:51 pm 
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Location: Kent, UK
wow a really great read! many thanks Damian. :)


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:57 pm 
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Location: West Sussex
Service Number: A05/TQ1.0.92155E1
Country: United Kingdom
Another great find!!!!

It makes you all warm inside doesn't it!! :D


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:26 pm 
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
bump


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