Anti-collision strobe lights?

[wvrailfan]

Can anyone tell me about when strobe lights became common as anti-collision lights on aircraft?

[fredmdbud]

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/404379-aviation-history-question-anticollision-lighting/

[Gilatrout]

You could also try contacting a curator at the Smithsonian air and space museum. Part of their job is to answer questions like this. I'm curious too, so please let update us on what you learn

[seaviper]

You won't find that information in an aviation publication. The reason is that the lighting we use in aviation came from ships. It's the same lighting you would find on a boat. And the rules of the road are the same too. The guy on the right has the right of way, etc, etc.
So, I would assume that lighting on airplanes probably became common somewhere around the 1930's. By WWII things were pretty much set. Warplanes, though, both modern and historic, have a distinct lack of lighting for health reasons.

But I think I missed the original question on strobes. Not sure about those per se. I do know that in some weather conditions, the SOP is to turn off the strobes to avoid cockpit reflections. In the 80's, some planes I flew had strobes. Some did not. By the late 1990's, just about all the birds I saw had strobes. I am not sure if there is any requirement for a strobe.

[fhhuber]

There are requirements for strobes... However older aircraft, not OEM equipped to meet them are exempt.

https://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/System%20Requirements/Anit-Collision%20Systems.pdf