THE GREAT MULLARD MAGIC BLOG

This style of Ministry of Defence (MOD) lamp was used in several different types of British aircraft during the WW2 and post-WW2 era. Its primary use was as a Navigator’s workstation lamp. The voltage rating varied according to the aircraft, but a typical value was 24v DC. Diverse names for these lamps include Air Ministry, Herbert Terry, Anglepoise and Chart Board. The official identification of this aircraft lamp was 5C/1079 - with 5C being an Air Ministry code for electrical equipment. The range of applications was wide and encompassed aircraft like the Wellington bomber and Varsity trainer.  But the most widespread use was in...

"Inevitable progress towards the common employment of miniature all glass valves has introduced many new problems for manufacturers and dealers."     This is what Mullard told us in late 1950 and they were referring of course to the introdution of the new (to the UK)  B9A valves and were concerned that this may happen once they came in general circulation:- This wouldn't do at all so Mullard helpfully introduced three tools to aid service engineers and dealer personnel alike - these still resurface today and I have lost count of the number of times a bemused and inquisitive finder...

Many users found the depression of the RHS handle to operate the Mullard High Speed Valve Tester  quite wearing -  and this at a time before  repetetive strain injuries were invented - stiff upper lip, grin and bear it!    The boffins at Salfords listened and voila, the tester was modified to have a one arm bandit style operating arm, not only that, if you pulled it and your valve tested for good emission, three cherries in a line appeared on the CRT.......................................  sorry couldn't resist that one. Mullard advertised the change as ergonomics with  an added security measure, to stop customers...

Well, whatever did you think, shame on you......... You know, it is said that there is nothing new in show business or advertising and here we have three photos just to prove this point. Here we see Petula Clark in October 1950 at the Castle Bromwich Radio Show somewhat agog at the size of this 5 foot Mullard valve model: -   And this 'ad opportunity' was again exploited  with a young lady from  Chorley Wood College for Girls with Little or No Sight examining the same giant valve model at the London Science Museum in November 1950: - But this wasn't a novel approach at...

The Mullard Master Test Board (MMTB), introduced in 1935 is in actuality a re-badged Philips Cartomatic GM7629, often referenced as the Cartomatic Mk1.   In every other European country it was sold as the Philips Cartomatic but for some reason, Mullard badge engineered it as their own product.    Physical examination  of the Philips Cartomatic Mk1 and the Mullard Master Test Board side by side reveals identical construction leading us to conclude that irrespective of badging, they were all made by Philips and either supplied fully built or as 'knocked down' kits for British construction and then post manufacture rebadged as Mullard instruments.     ...