SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
P'tach!
Armored Glass
- Thread starter Larrythepilot
- Start date
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SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Well I'll be.
- Thread starter
- #24
Larrythepilot
Airman
In his reply of 30 Dec, Engineman asked if I could provide more accurate measurements (length, width, thickness) of our 2 armoured glass panels. Yes, of course I can. I'm not sure when I will get to it though; I'm scheduled to do some flight instruction for a friend the next few days, along with some other appointments. I'll get it done by Sunday, 7 January, for sure. Thanks to all of you for your responses.
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 38,245
- Mar 26, 2007
That is soon enough. Till then. 
MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
Anyone who has built the Monogram 1/48 P-39 will recall that armored glass panel directly behind the pilot. You wonder how much the view from that was worth. In the Pacific they seem to have blocked much of the view with a radar IFF unit, so it could not have been too highly regarded.
The added-on armor glass on this Spitfire windshield is rather obvious in this view. The Fuji 1/48 Spitfire V kit actually provides two different windshields, one with the armor glass and one without.
The added-on armor glass on this Spitfire windshield is rather obvious in this view. The Fuji 1/48 Spitfire V kit actually provides two different windshields, one with the armor glass and one without.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The Spitfire windscreen "without" the armoured glass probably represents the internal armoured glass version.
- Thread starter
- #28
Larrythepilot
Airman
I had some time between flights today, so I went into the museum and measured our glass pieces. I also took more pictures, and made some notes. Since there are 2 different pieces of armored glass, I will call them Piece #1 and Piece #2. Here is what I learned.
Piece #1: This is the piece with the sort-of amber tint in the photos. It is made up of 7 layers of glass. The two outer layers are about 1/8" thick, and the 5 inner layers are about 1/4" thick, each layer. The overall thickness of the piece is about 1-1/2". The length, across the bottom, is the corner weren't missing would be 15-1/2". The height of the piece we have, at the highest point, is 11-1/2". However, the top is broken off, so I have no way to tell how high it would be if were all there.
Piece #2: This is the piece that is much more clear, and a bit larger. It is made up of only 4 layers. The two outer layers are about 1/8", same as piece #1, but the two inner layers are 3/4" thick each. The overall thickness is about 1-3/4". The length across the bottom is 18-3/8", and the height is 10-5/8". It appears to be rectangular in shape. Note that bottom edge, top edge, and one side edge are tapered, or slanted, one way. The other side edge is square to the face of the glass.
Somebody asked me if the glass had any markings. The answer is no, no markings that I could find. ..... That's the end of what I found out and observed.
Hi Larry,
Good to see your details on this armoured glass. Unfortunately, the details are not within my detailed knowledge. However, I have seen and worked with some of these sort of parts and I can make some suggestions. Bearing in mind the site that you acquired these from, there are possibilities. Generally, the later WW2 German armoured glass that I have seen is less "crystal clear", often with what looks like a blueish or yellow tint. Piece 1 looks Germanic, with the multi-thin layers. Also, it has rounded corners that I have seen on an Me 262 front glass. The damage certainly looks like a ballistic test, possibly from a 0.5 inch browning MG round? So that is a guess. Possibly you could get confirmation of the front screen size from a Me 262 owner or specialist?
The clear glass is very different, I think you can be certain of all its dimensions and shaping. Very difficult for me to say more, except good-luck that someone has more detail!
Cheers
Eng
Good to see your details on this armoured glass. Unfortunately, the details are not within my detailed knowledge. However, I have seen and worked with some of these sort of parts and I can make some suggestions. Bearing in mind the site that you acquired these from, there are possibilities. Generally, the later WW2 German armoured glass that I have seen is less "crystal clear", often with what looks like a blueish or yellow tint. Piece 1 looks Germanic, with the multi-thin layers. Also, it has rounded corners that I have seen on an Me 262 front glass. The damage certainly looks like a ballistic test, possibly from a 0.5 inch browning MG round? So that is a guess. Possibly you could get confirmation of the front screen size from a Me 262 owner or specialist?
The clear glass is very different, I think you can be certain of all its dimensions and shaping. Very difficult for me to say more, except good-luck that someone has more detail!
Cheers
Eng
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 38,245
- Mar 26, 2007
- ersatzteil-liste Me 262
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Jimbob
Airman 1st Class
Barrett
Senior Airman
War story:
I knew Franz Stigler of Charlie Brown's B-17 "A Higher Call" fame. We shared ramp space at a couple of Pacific NW airshows and renewed acquaintance at some fighter ace meetings. Franz had a depression in his forehead but I was too polite to ask about it. A Mustang ace was more forthcoming and said "Franz how'd you get that dent in your head?"
Franz looked embarrassed. "Vell, I tell you. A .50 caliber bullet came through my windscreen and part bounced off my gunsight. Dot's how I learnt you don' attack a B-17 from be-hint."
Franz and Clayton threatened to write an expose' of WW II showing how both militaries were capable of screwing up almost anything...
I knew Franz Stigler of Charlie Brown's B-17 "A Higher Call" fame. We shared ramp space at a couple of Pacific NW airshows and renewed acquaintance at some fighter ace meetings. Franz had a depression in his forehead but I was too polite to ask about it. A Mustang ace was more forthcoming and said "Franz how'd you get that dent in your head?"
Franz looked embarrassed. "Vell, I tell you. A .50 caliber bullet came through my windscreen and part bounced off my gunsight. Dot's how I learnt you don' attack a B-17 from be-hint."
Franz and Clayton threatened to write an expose' of WW II showing how both militaries were capable of screwing up almost anything...
- Thread starter
- #34
Larrythepilot
Airman
I have learned from the several replies to my armored glass inquiry that we will probably never know exactly what aircraft, or perhaps ground vehicles, these glass pieces came from.
But here's what I did decide. In order to get the more accurate dimensions that were requested, and to take the additional pictures from close up, and of the edges, I had to handle the glass pieces a lot. As you can see from the pictures, both are badly damaged, and have sharp and jagged edges. I used heavy gloves when moving them about. But you know, before we recently got into trying to identify where the glass pieces came from, they were both out on tables in the museum where visitors could walk up and touch them. Adults would likely tell from the appearance that they were sharp and dangerous, but children are not so cautious. It's a wonder we have not had anybody cut their hands on these things. After having those thoughts, I have put both glass pieces in a glass case that cannot be accessed by visitors. I added an exhibit sign that explains that we cannot readily determine exactly where the armored glass was used.
I may not have gotten my original question answered, but the questions you asked me caused my heightened awareness of the injury hazard we had when the glass pieces were out in the open. Thank you for causing me to take action to eliminate the hazard, especially to a child.
But here's what I did decide. In order to get the more accurate dimensions that were requested, and to take the additional pictures from close up, and of the edges, I had to handle the glass pieces a lot. As you can see from the pictures, both are badly damaged, and have sharp and jagged edges. I used heavy gloves when moving them about. But you know, before we recently got into trying to identify where the glass pieces came from, they were both out on tables in the museum where visitors could walk up and touch them. Adults would likely tell from the appearance that they were sharp and dangerous, but children are not so cautious. It's a wonder we have not had anybody cut their hands on these things. After having those thoughts, I have put both glass pieces in a glass case that cannot be accessed by visitors. I added an exhibit sign that explains that we cannot readily determine exactly where the armored glass was used.
I may not have gotten my original question answered, but the questions you asked me caused my heightened awareness of the injury hazard we had when the glass pieces were out in the open. Thank you for causing me to take action to eliminate the hazard, especially to a child.
