1940 BC-65 windshield

[edmundcammack]

Morning everyone,
Has anyone bought and installed a new windshield for a 1940 BC-65? If so, which company and did you get one with tint, UV, extra thickness or plain original?
I found three companies that sell them, all are slightly different in specs and price.
thanks..

[Hank Jarrett]

I replaced my 42 BC12-65 windshield with the original type with the framing and flat pieces of Plexi (Pyrene is no longer available, and a good thing! That stuff was garbage and Plexi is far superior in strength and resistance to Sun light and fuels!). The material costs were significantly less than a formed replacement windshield but the labor involved more than made up for it. I also broke a LOT of the side pieces trying to curve them around! Good thing was the plexi was pretty inexpensive and I got a lot of practice in how much heat to apply (just below when bubbles appear but hot enough for the plexi to bend and hold the curve.

[Hank Jarrett]

First photo is of the templates to get the exact size and shape. I could not get access to a rivet squeezer with a deep enough throat so I used 6-32 screws (with IA approval). This is the typical way the side plexi broke from trying to curve it too cold. It was a fun sub-project, but I really wouldn't want to do it again.

[edmundcammack]

OK,
I have a one piece, curved windshield and plan to buy the same thing.
Thanks.

[3Dreaming]

Be aware that none of them will fit without significant trimming and fitting. I would go 1/8" clear, and no coatings. If the UV is manufactured in that would probably be okay.

[Hank Jarrett]

OK,
I have a one piece, curved windshield and plan to buy the same thing.
Thanks.

That is a good plan if you aren't a bit over anal about being "original". I am always looking for ways to make mine just like she left the factory, but ask around, I am a bit nuts! ;-) Wish I could find a really deep throat rivet squeezer! I also learned to cover with Grade A Cotton and dope, but I am not THAT nuts!

[edmundcammack]

Interesting. Mine was restored by Tom Macario in the late 80s after finding it in a barn, where it had been placed by its original owner, after 19 years in the civilian pilots training program. he went to great lengths to keep it all original, reusing all the original gauges, mag switch, etc. so i assumed that the windshield replaced what had been there originally. I learned to fly in my father's 1940 BC-65 and it had a curved, one piece as well. I just assumed that was factory original. I don't think I've ever seen a Tcraft with a windshield such as yours.
Thanks.

[edmundcammack]

3D,
from what I was told, the UV and tint are part of the manufacturing but i will verify that.
Thanks.

[3Dreaming]

Here are a couple pictures showing the original windscreen. There are several pictures of pre war airplanes for viewing here, https://www.alliancememory.org/digit...lection/taylor . The molded windshield was a product of World War II.

[edmundcammack]

Thank you for the pics..

[3Dreaming]

Interesting. Mine was restored by Tom Macario in the late 80s after finding it in a barn, where it had been placed by its original owner, after 19 years in the civilian pilots training program. he went to great lengths to keep it all original, reusing all the original gauges, mag switch, etc. so i assumed that the windshield replaced what had been there originally. I learned to fly in my father's 1940 BC-65 and it had a curved, one piece as well. I just assumed that was factory original. I don't think I've ever seen a Tcraft with a windshield such as yours.
Thanks.

My guess is that the windshield had been replaced in service previously before the restoration, and that he just put the same back in. Back in that time frame the resources for determining what was original were not as readily available. The first real good reference was Chet Peek's book in 1993.

[Hank Jarrett]

Found these photos of a pre war that was at the museum at Sun-N-Fun one year. This was over 20 years ago if I remember right.

[3Dreaming]

When I did my 1941 BL that won grand champion at Oshkosh 1994 it was the first I had seen in person with the four piece windshield. We got patterns from a 1939 that had been damaged and in storage since the late thirties or early forties. They were traced and sent with pictures. I made all of the parts and patterns to do the windshield.