unidentified warbird windscreen

[redbird31]

I have had a warbird windscreen for many years that I thought was from a P51. In recently seeking to verify this, it appears it is from some other aircraft, but none of the experienced people I inquired with can identify it - anyone out there who might know?
It is 1-5/8" thick 7 ply glass laminated, 12-1/2" wide from the base extending up about 6" (parallel width) then tapering to a rounded top with about a 4-7/8" or 5" radius. Total height is 22-7/8". There is an etched marking "LOF-MN" in a lower corner on one face. It is a perfectly flat windscreen in reasonable condition.

 

[Airframes]

Any chance of posting a picture? It would help a lot to actually see it.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Are there any numbers along the edges?

 

[Wurger]

Could you resize these pics, please? These are too big.

 

[redbird31]

I can not find any numbers anywhere on the windscreen. The only marking I can find is an etched mark "LOC-MN" in one lower corner that I assume is a Libby Owen Ford
marking.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I think its from a P-40

 

[redbird31]

Attached cropped and smaller photos.

 

[redbird31]

Thanks FLYBOYJ, that will give me some direction to start. Would you happen to know if there is anything like an archived record from Libby Owens Ford Glass company of windscreens they had made during that time? I've just started researching this so haven't gotten very far yet.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[redbird31]

Have looked at a WW2 aircraft book from the library, and as best as I can tell from the views shown for all the planes, the P40 seems to have somewhat straighter (more parallel) sides. Of course the illustrations may not be completely clear with their shape depictions. The book is "Aircraft of World War II" by Francis K. Bacon.

Views that look possible include planes in the Grumman line - the F4F, and
F6F; Hawker Hurricane MKIIC, B25 lower panel, Northrop P61, and even The Spitfire??

Does anyone know if the P51 D windscreen (that shows a curved bottom edge) in the illustration may actually have a straight lower edge, and that only the frame shape is curved? From a manufacturing standpoint, it would seem easier (less expensive) to fab a straight edge on the thick laminated glass...?

The lower side parallel sections on my windscreen are what make identifying it so much more difficult.

 

[ccheese]

The "LOF" means it was made by Libbey-Owens-Ford, a glass maker of
bygone days. The "MN" could be the place where it was manufactured.

Charles

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Check this out...

Toledo's Attic

 

[ccheese]

Good Find, Joe !!!

Charles

 

[redbird31]

That is a great lead FLYBOYJ - is your name Joe? Many thanks.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

That is a great lead FLYBOYJ - is your name Joe? Many thanks.

It is - and my pleasure.

 

[Rocketeer]

My first thought was P40....it certainly is NOT P51A to D, Hurri or Spitfire

 

[evangilder]

Possible that it could be the bomb aimers window from a B-17:

I have looked at the same pane on the B-25 and the B-24 and they are not the same shape.

 

[INTELTEK]

Will have to look up some files and photos to be more certain but, considering the thickness of the material and its flatness, it appears to be armored glass like that found on the Corsair AU-1 used during the Korean War. Not saying that is definitely what it is, but the length/height, and the other characteristics make me believe this is most plausible. The AU-1 was the dedicated ground attack version of the Corsair family for that time, and it has armored glass to protect against the heavier volume of ground fire expected to be received from the enemy in close-air support missions.

 

[INTELTEK]

Don't think so. The object is glass and the perspex bubble for fhe B-17 bombardier compartment was a plexiglas material, much thinner. Also, the peak of the rounded end at the bottom appears to be too narrow for a good match. Good guess, though, particularly thinking outside of the fighter box.

 

[Catch22]

Unless the AU-1 had a window on the bottom I didn't know about, that is NOT from one. Wrong shape completely.