Armored Glass

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Larrythepilot

Airman
79
77
Jun 7, 2020
Seymour, Indiana, USA
freemanarmyairfieldmuseum.org
Our museum has 2 pieces of multi-layered "bulletproof" glass. Pictures attached. We would very much like to know what WWII aircraft (probably German) they came from. Our current president thinks perhaps they came from the canopy of a fighter, like the Bf-109. However, this glass is really heavy. It is nearly 2 inches thick. I can't believe such heavy glass would be in a sliding canopy. The darn thing would never move. Do any of you have any ideas about this? Thank you.
 

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Hi Larry,
Great to see some more of your specimens. So, in your pictures you have two armoured glass panels. I would say that the RH one has had a high speed impact, the LH one has suffered a fracture but doesn't look to have been a high speed impact. Now, looking at the pictures of the Bf 109 's above, you can see the front armoured glass with the distinctive curved lower edge that is very thick. Neither of your panels look like this. The rear armoured glass was often called the "Galland Panzer", and it replaced the solid steel panel on earlier Bf 109 G and preceding versions. The complete hinging canopy was the "Erla Haube". Note, the Galland Panzer was also fitted on some of the later versions of the earlier partially hinged and framed canopy, instead of the complete steel armour panel.
I have just measured the glass on my own genuine Galland Panzer glass and steel armour unit and the glass is about 14 inches across at the base and about 8.5 inches across at the top. So I think neither of your panels is one of these. However, that leaves you with a lot of other German types like Fw 190, Bf 110 and Me 262 etc with rectangular armoured screens. Also, there were other types with armoured glass. It might help specialists if you could give fairly accurate measurements for width, height and thickness, if poss?
Best Wishes

Eng
 
Hi mjfur,
Please, is that cockpit shot the Planes of Fame Bf 109 G10?
Cheers

Eng
 
Why does he think it might be German?

Any chance you can find faintly engraved markings?

Can you post a photo of the back of the yellowish piece? It looks as though the size of the laminated layers are different on the front and back.

Is there anything that might indicate which side is down?
 
Snautzer01 said:
That is a nice piece. Thanks for sharing a view of it.
Click to expand...
Yes, it is historic. You get the wow-feeling when seeing it, and I am used to that!
There are some very well made reproductions now, so anyone should be careful buying. Not certain if anyone does the armoured glass though? The real glass will almost certainly
be slightly delaminating around the edges. Mine is pretty much as good as I have seen original.
Cheers

Eng
 
Astounding that in that time they could arrange glass to withstand 20 mm. I'm guessing borosilicate glass with celluloid sheets separating them?
 
RichardSuhkoi said:
Astounding that in that time they could arrange glass to withstand 20 mm. I'm guessing borosilicate glass with celluloid sheets separating them?
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone had armored glass that could survive a 20mm round.

MG damage: Spitfire Mark I Windscreen

T.O. No. 01-65BC-1 "P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot's Flight Operating Manual" Section I "Description", 1. "Airplane", d. "Pilot Protection" (1) says:
ARMOR. - Front and rear armor protection sufficient to withstand U.S. .30, German .312, and Japanese and Italian .303 (7.7mm)-caliber fire by direct right angle hit is provided for the pilot.
 
I suspect that the German Galland Panzer was designed to withstand the American 0.5 inch. I have read a German pilots description of the bullets "splatting" on the armour behind him as he took hits.

Eng
 
Saw a video about .... hold onto your seats ST fans .... Transparent Aluminum. It has been developed. An AL compound when heated, cast, and polished is as clear as Plexiglas but a 1.5 inch thickness can withstand the same as about three times that much armored glass.
 
Scotty from Star Trek brought it?
I remain skeptical.
 
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