A5, N3 and J3 AirChime Models

The air horn A5 cannot be linked with Swanson or AirChime. It was a Nathan creation. Nathan invented this horn while trying to improve the H5. The reversible bells are the main difference of the H5 and A5, and because of these, there are two inlet blocks for air on each head.

It is on the direction of where the bell was pointed to that was used to determine on which inlet block has to be drilled and tapped for orifice tube to be connected. The bells, heads and manifold of the A5 also have a resemblance to the M horns. Air was not supplied to the bells from the manifold though as the physical structure proved it. A5 horns were unpopular and the production was ended shortly after 25 of it were manufactured. None of these A5 horns were known to have survived.

AirChime N3 Train Horn

N3 horns were the first 3-chime horns produced by Swanson horns. Unlike the previous H6, H5 and A5, it has no external tubing but it was the prime horn that uses the manifold as a mount and as air manifold. The appearance of the horn is very similar to that of the M3 series and it also creates the same musical chords (C#, E and A).

A number of differences can be found as well between the N3 and M3. First is that the throat of the bells stretches to the manifold making contact with the heads. The manifold also has more slopes around the area where the bell #1 is attached. There is a tab at the top of the heads and the caps at the back have the identical style as the back caps of the H5 horn and H6 horn.

Another difference is that there are no markings on the bells. The hexagonal headed cap screws that joined the manifold with the bells and head is visibly jutting out from the base of the bells. The final difference is that the N3 utilizes a diaphragm installation which is riveted, unlike the M horn series which is bolted.

The N3 models were more or less like filler models and not a long term production model. There are only twenty N3s that were produced with serial numbers ranging from 88 to 107. Only two pieces of the N3 horns survived in personal collections.

AirChime J3 Snowplow Whistle

The J3 series was an impermanent model introduced only a few months prior to the K series. It was designed as an alternative low maintenance horn for the M3H that were used on snow plows in Canada. It gives a D# minor tone and with a nimble glance, it appears similar to the K3 horn. The only difference externally in between the K series and the J3 horns were the base having a triangular form which were used also for the first K3 horns and the “AirChime Snowplow Whistle” cast at bell #1.

The inside parts of the horn were slightly different from that of the K series as well. A single diaphragm disk can be found on each bell and a diffuser ring cannot be found inside. The J3 horn was apparently dropped when they introduce the K3 series. Currently, there are only few J3s that were known to exist.