Windshield Vents

[bashibazouk]

More heat issues!

Anybody have a link to a photo of an old ship with the vents in the upper area of the windshield?

Thoughts as to whether the Vistavent Spruce sells would be appropriate?



Thanks,

Josh

[Buell Powell]

Re: Windshield Vents

Josh,
I put the Vistavents in the door windows in my 41 and they work very well-really nice to have-especially here in South Texas.

[M Towsley]

Re: Windshield Vents

Josh,

I have those in my current plane, it came that way. The restorers did not put opening windows in, bummer. Anyway, I installed the other type of vents that snap-in on my L-2 in the upper windshield area. Those worked very well. The vents you are showing, I think, flow less than the snap-ins that rotate. Just my thoughts on it...

[bashibazouk]

Re: Windshield Vents

Thanks Buell and Marty.

Marty, were the ones in your L-2B these:

A-2-100


--or--

F-318 ?

[M Towsley]

Re: Windshield Vents

Yes.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Windshield Vents

Here is a picture of the original 41 with the vents in the windscreens. They are the type Josh showed and since they are right at the leading edge high pressure area they pull in quite a bit of air. The disadvantage is if you mess up a hole, you ruin the windscreen. Nice thing is the 4 piece windscreens are pretty easy to make new pieces. I REALLY wouldn't want to ruin a blown post war windscreen and I think that is why people put them in the door window.
Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: Windshield Vents

Which ones, Hank? The ones that rotate with the knob or the one that the whole vent swivels?

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Windshield Vents

I put them in the top front of the side slider window on the F-19 an other good spot is the original place on the boot cowl , provides cooler air up from your legs.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Windshield Vents

The original ones were the ones with the knob. I don't know when the "shaped" ones came out but forming plexi was developed in WW-II for canopies. The knob ones are made from flat pieces of Plexi with one piece bent about 45* that rotates to expose the half hole.
I flew in a plane with them in the boot cowl and they really do bring a LOT of cool air in around your legs. If you have an uninsulated fire wall they are a BIG help!
Hank

[bashibazouk]

Re: Windshield Vents

Thanks, Hank. That's the picture I was looking for.

Josh

[Buell Powell]

Re: Windshield Vents

Hank ,These are some original vents from my Dad's 41 Deluxe and look like the ones in the picture you posted - the vista vents are similar but thought you might be interested in them for the 4 piece windshield you are building.- They were made from very thin material and have about fallen apart but one of them could still be used for a pattern and some day when I decide to recover my 41 I was thinking of trying to make some new ones -Not sure how the scoops were formed -may be heat formed? If anyone has any ideas about making them please let me know.
Thanks,
Buell

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Windshield Vents

Buell,
Those scoops appear to be made of celluloid.
If that is the case, the flat stock could be soaked in solvent and pressed into a mold, then the opening in the scoop would be cut out.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Windshield Vents

It looks like we might be able to glue the pieces back together and use epoxy/glass to reenforce the outside so a male mold can be made from the inside. Once the mold is cleaned up we can vacuum form new ones over it from PETG, glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate copolyester (it is SO much fun to say things like that!) or Acrylic. We could use Polycarbonate (but it is hard to form) or celluloid (but it has low resistance to chemicals and UV).
I have a good local company that vacuum forms small parts if we have a mold.
Hank

If we make some, I want two!

[Buell Powell]

Re: Windshield Vents

Hi Mark,
I think you are right and being parked outside in the Texas sun is why my Dad had to replace them-he only had the plane for a year or 2. Hank--if you would like to borrow the vents to check with the company about vacuum forming some I could mail them to you-if enough of us are interested in a set then may be it wouldn't cost to much to have them made? Hadn't thought about those old vents in years but making or having some original style vents made would be nice.
Thanks,

[Jim Herpst]

Re: Windshield Vents

Buell , Yes I could put them back in your dads airplane !! Jim -owner of your dads airplane