This seems like the right spot for this, but if there is another let me know.
This is a timeline I've put together over a number of years from a variety of sources (this site being one). I thought some might appreciate it, and also hoping to grow it further. I think I've got most of the big ones, hoping maybe some with interests in the "others" might furnish the dates for their particular favorites. I started this list as a model builder, nothing is more jarring to me then seeing a nice Model T pumper with a Twinsonic.
Where I have found a general date, but not specific year of introduction I've provided the date as far as known, with an X for the unknown. So if I know a siren was introduced in the 1940s, but don't know the exact year, I have it listed as 194x.
I've listed them by name as well as possible, but may not always have the complete nomenclature. A good example being the roof mounted 4 way flashing beacon J.A. McDermott offered a few years before Federal brought out their Model 17 revolving beacon ray. I don't know of a designation for the 4 way flasher other than J.A. McDermott Beacon.
There is equipment which is not addressed, traffic advisors, Opticoms, traffic / intersection lights (other than the Mars lights) and speakers for electronic sirens being obvious omissions. Also major changes to existing lights, like the all light versions of existing lightbars that most manufacturers began to offer around 1990. Happy to add these things just never got there.
In some cases manufacturers re-badge another light. Where this is the case I can add a note to that effect (I don't think S&W actually built any lights, but I have some on the list).
I can update the list in the first post as new information is provided.
Thanks and hope this is a worthwhile addition.
Also a big thanks to those who have provided historical information in their posts and those who have uploaded catalogs, ads etc, that has been a great help to me when putting this together.
Warning lights and beacons
Buck Eye Iron & Brass Works Roto-Ray – 1928
Whiting Warning Light – 1928
Akron Brass Akr-O-Lite – 1934
Mars FL – 1936
Carpenter Master Light – 1937
Sterling Oscilite - 1937
Buckeye Iron & Brass Works Moto-Ray - 1938
Mars FL8 – 194x
Federal Model 17 Beacon Ray – 1948
Trio “Platter” light – 1948
Federal Propello Ray – 1949
Federal Model 173 Beacon Ray – 1955
Griffin Model 360 "beehive" – 1950
J.A. McDermott Circle-Beam – 1950
Mars DX – 195x
Mars DX-40 – 195x
S&M 757 “can” light – 1951
S&M 747 “can” light – 1951
SirenO Saf-T-Ray No. 19 – 1951
SirenO Saf-T-Ray No. 37N – 1951
Federal BR2 Scatter Ray "beehive" – 1952
SirenO No. 192 Revolvo Ray – 1954
Trio T2 “can” light – 1954
Whelen Rota-Beam – 1955
Whelen Rota-Beam RB-11 (motorcycle light) - 1956
Federal Model
FB-1/2 Fireball – 1956
SirenO No. 194 Revolvo Ray - Atomic Rocket series – 1957
Federal Model 15 Junior Beacon Ray – 1958
Federal Model 171 Beacon Ray (Improved Model 17) – 1958
Federal Model 174 Beacon Ray – 1958
SirenO Model 199 Sky-Lighter – 1958
Dietz Model 211 – 1959
Federal Model
FB-F Flashball – 1960
Federal Sola-Ray – 1960
Whelen Rota-Beam Senior – 1960
Sireno MC-2 "can" light - 196x
Federal Model 175 Strat-o-ray “hill light” – 1961
Federal Model 176 Strat-o-ray “hill light” – 1961
Dietz Model 261 Junior – 1962
Federal Model 121 Vita-Lite – 1962
Dietz Model 211WW “Wig wag” - 1963
Dietz Model 235 PA light – 1963
Dietz Model 235 PA light “wig wag” – 1963
Federal Model 14 – 1963
Federal Model 184 Power Light - 1963
Federal CJ184 PA Light – 1963
Dietz Model 230 (rebadged Federal Model 14) – 1964
Dietz Model 245 (rebadged Federal Model 121) – 1964
Unity RV-15 – 1965
Unity RV-25 – 1965
Dietz Model 240 – 1966
Dietz Model 245 – 1966
Dietz Model 255 (rebadged Unity RV-15) – 1966
Whelen Rota-Beam Corporal – 1966
Federal Model 044 – 1967
Federal Model 143 – 1967
Federal Model 144 – 1967
Federal Model 312 Titan – 1968
Sireno Revolvo Ray Speaker Light – 1968
Mars 888 – 1969
Dietz Model 7-40 (renumbering of Model 240) – 1970
Dietz Model 7-61 (renumbering of Model 261) – 1970
Dietz Model 7-110 – 1970
Dietz Model 7-116 “hill light” – 1970
Mars Skybolt – 1971
Dietz Model 7-430 strobe – 1973
Whelen Model 5000 Commander Strobe – 1974
Whelen Model 5000 PA – 1974
Whelen Model 88 – 197x
Whelen Model 88 PA – 197x
Whelen Model 883 - 197x
Whelen Model 883 PA - 197x
Whelen Model 884 - 197x
Whelen Model 884 PA - 197x
Federal Model
FB-11/12 Fireball 2 – 1976
Sireno 44660 – 1976
Federal Model
FB(H)-11/12 Super Fireball – 1978
S&W 236 beacon (2 bulb) - 1978
S&W 436 beacon (4 bulb) - 1978
Dietz Model 7-11 – 1980
Federal Model
FB-2 Fireball II – 1982
Federal Model 16 Visilite – 1982
Light Bars
Federal Model 11 Twin Beacon Ray / Visibar – 1963
Mars Aurora Borealis – 1964
J.A. McDermott Multi-level lights "High Rise" – 1966
Federal Model 12 Twin Sonic – 1967
Unity Unirack – 196x
Whelen Cross Bar – 196x
Federal Model 12X Twin Sonic – 1972
Federal Model 12 CTS Twin Sonic – 1973
Dietz Model 911 – 1973
Code 3 2200 – 1974
Dietz Omni-Chief – 1974
Federal Model 12S Twin Sonic – 1974
Federal Model 12E Twin Sonic – 1974
Federal Model 12F Twin Sonic – 1975
Code 3 SD – 1976
Whelen Model 6000 – 1976
Federal Model 12M Twin Sonic – 1977
Federal Model 24 Aerodynic – 1977
Whelen Responder – 1977
S&W 8700 light bar – 1978
Whelen Model 8000 – 1978
Code 3 XL-9000 – 1979
Federal Model 24 AeroTwinsonic – 1979
Code 3 SD-4100 – 1982
Code 3 SD-4200 – 1982
Code 3 XL-5000 – 1982
Code 3 XL-5000 – 1982
Federal Model 22 Mini Aerodynic – 1982
Federal Model JS-1 Jetsonic – 1983
Code 3
LP 6000 – 1983
Whelen Model 9000 – 1983
Federal Model 25 Aerodynic All Light – 1984
Federal Streethawk – 1986
Federal Model JET Jetsonic – 1987
Code 3 MX 7000 – 1988
Federal Jetstream – 1989
Federal Model AD-4800 / 5200 Aerodynic – 1990
Federal Model ADL Aerodynic – 1992
Federal Jetstrobe – 1992
Federal Vector – 1992
Federal Firehawk – 1993
Federal Streethawk All Light – 1993
Federal Vision – 199x
Code 3 Excalibur – 1996
Federal Vista – 1996
Federal Fire / Streethawk 80” – 1997
Whelen LED – 2000
Code 3 2100 – 2001
Code 3 Javelin – 2003
Code 3 Wingman – 2005
Federal Model ADX Solaris LED – 2005
Federal Model 22 ADX Solaris LED – 2005
Federal Jetsolaris LED – 2005
Code 3 XF 2300 – 2006
Code 3 RX 2700 – 2007
Federal Jetstream LED – 2007
Code 3 Defender - 2009
Code 3 Solex - 2013
Code 3 Pursuit – 2016
Electro-mechanical sirens
SirenO – 1907
SirenO Junior – 1909
SirenO Midget – 1910
SirenO Cyclephone – 1910 (for motorcycles)
SirenO No. 3 – 1911
SirenO No. 5 – 1911
SirenO No. 7 – 1922
SirenO No. 11 – 1922
B&M Siro-Drift – 193x
B&M Big Chief – 193x
CAM Model 104 – 193x
Federal Model 17 – 193x
Federal Model 24 – 193x
Federal Model 28 – 193x
Federal Model 35 – 193x
Federal Model 45 – 193x
Federal Model 53 – 193x
Federal Model 66 – 193x
Federal Model 77 – 193x
Federal XL – 193x
Federal
WL – 193x
Federal Z – 193x
SirenO M1 – 1936
SirenO ED – 1936
SirenO ED-1 – 1936
SirenO Type 51 – 1936
Sterling Model 20 – 193x
Sterling Model 30 – 193x
Federal Traffik-King - 1939
SirenO No. 94 - For Higgins PT Boat – 1942
Federal C5 – 1946
Sireno R1 – 1946
Sireno R2 – 1946
Sireno R3 – 1946
Sireno R4 – 1946
Sireno R5 – 1946
Sireno R5R – 1946
Sireno ED-2 – 1946
Federal C6 – 194x
B&M Super Chief – 194x
Federal Model 85 Doubletone – 1951
Federal Q – 1951
Sireno Ford-F1 – 1951
Atomic Rocket No. Rj-1-8 - 1957
Atomic Rocket No. Sj-8 - 1957
Atomic Rocket ED-12 - 1957
Federal Pulsator – 1963
SirenO RJ-1-8 – 1966 (est)
Electronic sirens
Federal PA-1 – 1958
Federal PA-2 – 1958
Federal PA-5 – 1960
Federal PA-10 – 1960
Federal PA-15 – 1963
Federal PA-20 – 1962
SirenO introduces electronic sirens – 1966
Federal PA-15A - 1967
Federal PA-20A - 1967
Federal PA-70 – 1973
Federal PA-100 – 1973
Federal PA-200 – 1974
General Electric SA Power Call / Siren - 1974
Federal PA-300 – 1983
Federal PA-1000 – 1974