WINDSHIELD CRACKS...(DEC 02)
Subj: Windshield Cracks - there's always something!!!
From: Jeff Wimmer <jwimmer@fleetweather.com>
Hi Jim & Denis:
Got N78276 back from the paint shop on monday - Everybody that has seen her so
far just drools! (Film going in for developing today - will get to Denis in a
few days.) I flew her back from the shop on monday, and she seems to have picked
up at least a few miles per hour. Will let you know more when I get a little
more experience. Yesterday during the calm before the storm (got about 4"
of snow last night) I took her for a short flight to begin to get reacquainted.
As I was flying, all of a sudden I noticed two small cracks on the pilot's side
lower edge of the windshield. One about 1" long maybe 5" or 6" to
the left of the center. And another about 1/2" long maybe midway between
the center of the aircraft, and the end of the windshield on the pilot's side.
When closely examined, there seems to be a slight deformation in the plastic at
the end of each crack. I can't say whether they were or weren't there when the
plane went in for paint - so I haven't said anything to the paint guy yet. Maybe
they were, and I just never noticed them. Maybe they happened when the canopy
was installed last January, as there may have been some stress put on the
windshield when the gull wing canopy was installed. The history of this
windshield is that it was installed when I bought the plane in June of 2001, and
yes, the holes for the screws were drilled very oversized to give it room for
expansion and contraction. The canopy was installed in January of 2002. If they
stay the way they are, I can live with the cracks, especially with that nice new
paint job that I don't want to mar by changing it. What I don't want to have
happen is for the cracks to get any worse. So.....here's the question: In your
experience, what is the best thing to do, or NOT to do? I went straight to my
mechanic when I noticed the cracks yesterday, and his advice (given to him by
people who maintain helecopters which apparently get LOTS of cracks in the
plastic) is to take a very fine sewing needle, heat it red hot with a propane
torch, and pass it thru the windshield at the end of the crack. Later the small
hole can be filled in with some clear plastic silicone, if necessary. He says
that works better than stop-drilling which can leave rough edges which can start
new cracks, and the hole is smaller. I asked him whether I should just wait and
see if they grow before doing that. He thought that was a good plan of action,
and suggested that I either measure the cracks, or mark the ends with a grease
pencil. Your thoughts? Best regards, Jeff Wimmer
Jeff
BTW - I just got my Vintage Airplane today -- nice article! Of course, we
Swifters had seen it in the Internet newsletter. That idea of a hot needle and
some clear plastic filler sounds good to me. I have not used them, but I
understand there are repair kits now for repairing plastic windshields. I had a
car which had a rock chip in the windshield and the dealer repaired it for about
$50 and you could not see any sign of the repair. I think they use a plastic
filler and polish it out. It seems to me I have seen those windshield repair
kits advertised in Trade-A-Plane. Maybe someone will read this and give more
info. I've always just stop drilled cracks, then replaced the windshield before
the next annual. Cracks almost always are from too small screw holes or screws
that are too tight. Of course, if whoever who trimmed and installed the
windshield left some stresses in there......it will tend to crack. If there is
vibration or a blow to the windshield, it will crack further. I would relieve
pressure by loosening the retaining screws. You don't want them tight at all. I
think there are repair kits for completely filling holes. -- Jim
WINDSHIELD REPAIR KIT? (DEC 02)
From: Jeff Wimmer <jwimmer@fleetweather.com>
Went thru my Trade-a-Plane (First November Issue) cover to cover, checked the
classifieds too. No ads for windshield repair kits that I could find.....Maybe
somebody out there in Swift electronic-newsletter-land will know what is
available, or will have researched this issue further. -- Jeff
1001 USES FOR VELCRO... (WELL, AT LEAST HALF OF IT.) (FEB 03)
From: "Doc Moore" <darladoc@sport.rr.com>
Subject: Pin Ups
Hi Denis: I just keep pluggin' along and eventually, one of these days, it'll be
flying again. I've got the wings on, the outboard tanks plumbed, etc. Am still
hanging control surfaces. Its all coming out better than I expected. Finished my
upper hatch and am now cleaning the window rails and re-doing them. Have
replaced all the side window glass, polished and painted the window metal, and
the windows are ready to go back in as soon as I do the upper tracks. Found out
that the soft side of Velcro makes a great channel liner for the glass to slide
in. Buy the stufff at Wal Mart with the adhesive backing, cut it in 3/4"
strips and put it on the inside side of the channel. Gives .080 glass a snug fit
but they still slide okay. -- Doc
ONE PIECE WINDSHIELD STC... (APRIL 03)
Subj: One Piece Windshield
From: Doc Moore <darladoc@sport.rr.com>
Jim:
I installed a replacement one piece windshield that I obtained from LP Aero. I
have no record except a log book entry for the one piece unit I removed. Would
you happen to have a copy of an STC for the one piece? I apologize for bugging
you for paperwork so much but I'm close to flying and am trying to get my
paperwork in order. Thanks, Doc
Doc
The STC for the bubble windshield is SA4-403; held by Aircraft Windshield Co.
3762 Catalina St. Los Alamitos, CA 90720. I have no idea if they are still
there. If they are defunct and not supplying the STC, the FAA may grant a field
approval. I don't have a copy of the STC in my files. They also hold STC SA4-761
which I believe is a version with a modified windshield frame. Curiously, the
address on the second STC is 3842 Catalina St. Many of these windshield were
installed in years gone by without the owners bothering to buy the STC and no
337 was ever executed. Now the STC holders have gone broke and the paperwork is
not available. See a moral here? Maybe if Denis publishes this some California
reader knows if the STC is still available. Jim
(Editor says... Doc found that the address above is no longer current. According
to Doc, here is the most current address: Aircraft Windshield Co 10871 Kyle St.,
Los Alamitos, CA 90720-2410 Phone:(562) 430-8108 )
IS RIVETING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO INSTALL SIDE WINDOWS? (AUG 03)
Subj: Side Windows
From: Bob Price <bobpriceswift@aol.com>
Jim:
I am about to install new side windows (the ones that move up and down). I do
not have any experience with riveting..could I use pop rivets or small bolts or
other fasteners? The existing windows have "bucked" aircraft rivets.
Also, are seals located at the bottom of the frame still available? Thanks
Jim!......... Bob P
Bob
It sounds like you have some modified windows based on the original design. I
don't think Swift Parts has any parts for the original windows. If the windows
are riveted in the frames it is nonstandard and nonstructural so small screws or
pop rivets might possibly be used. -- Jim
DUANE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW... (SEPT 03)
Subj: Blue Glass
From: Dorothy Golding <dotgoldswift@mail.ev1.net>
Hi Jim;
Duane would like to know where he can get the blue glass for the plane he is
working on it is supposed to be .090 but he does not seem to be able to locate
that thickness. He can find 1.25 in town. -- Dorothy
Dorothy
We have gotten the original type blue glass thru LP Windshields in PA. You may
have to order thru Aircraft Supply (800) 569-9397 You want to get the glass
formed because if you use flat sheet it will craze prematurely. The originals
used a light blue, LP seems to think the FAA requires a dark blue which you can
hardly see through. I had to sign a release the last time I got some. I don't
know if you can get or even want the .090 thickness. It seems to me we got .100
or .125 for Mick Supina's airplane. -- Jim
REAR WINDOWS...(JAN 04)
From: Jeff Wimmer <jwimmer@fleetweather.com>
Subject: Re: Janaury #1 GTS Internet Update
I really MUST look at my data plate on the aircraft to see what year it thinks
it is. According to the FAA records, it is a 46. According to the serial numbers
on the site, it COULD be one of those with a funky number in the year of
manufacture. I hunted around on the site.....but couldn't find the explanation
for the different rear windows - I probably read about it in the 50 years of the
Swift. Was it the Globe manufactured birds that had the wrap-around one piece
windows? Do ALL the Temco Swifts have the 2 small rear windows? Thanks for any
info!!! Regards,Jeff
Jeff
All the Swifts manufactured prior to s/n 3561 had the "Globe" style
rear windows. The Temco Swifts after s/n 3551 had the "new look" D
windows and the flat shelf. But there are exceptions! The first Swift with the
flat shelf was N78225, s/n 2225. In addition the Temco factory converted many
Swifts to the flat shelf, some before they were ever sold. And if a Swift was
repaired or refurbished by the Temco factory in the late '40s it probably got
the "new look" installed too. For example, N80866 s/n 269 had the
"new look" rear windows and flat shelf installed by Temco in 10-48.
When Temco sold the type certificate and all the spare parts for the Swift to
Vest (Univair) in the 50s one of the most popular sales items was the "new
look kit". There were two kits available. The S-130 had the flat shelf and
D windows but retained the "A" frame turnover structure. The S-131 had
the Temco heavy bulkhead turnover structure. I remember "back when" it
seemed really cool to have the later "new look" and I ordered an S-130
kit from Univair and installed it in N80539 in the '60s. You do get a little
more interior room with the flat shelf, but nowadays I think the Globe rear
windows look better. I don't think I'm alone on that because I know of many
Swifts that have been converted back the earlier style. Of course, the canopy
equipped Swifts mimic the outline of the Globe rear windows. -- Jim
More from Jim on s/n 2225...
N78225 was one of the Swifts manufactured in 1946 as a Globe Swift but made by
Temco. I believe all or most of the s/n's prior to 2225 were sold in 1946.
N78225 was retained by Temco as an experimental airplane to try out new
modifications, and was fitted with a spin chute for some time. The patches from
the removal of the spin chute can be seen on N78225 to this day. N78225 was made
originally with the slope shelf and Globe rear windows but was changed over some
time before the Spring of 1948, it was on the front cover of Flying Magazine in
May, 1948. I think all of the 2000 s/n's had the slope shelf and Globe style
rear windows. I have a Temco factory photo from 1948 which shows N78296(?) at
the Temco plant and you can plainly see the bigger Globe style back windows as
well as some other Swifts, new, but with the older style back windows. A similar
photo can be seen on the Swift site. Click on Globe Temco Swift History - then
Globe and Temco Factory Photos - on Page 2. the first photo is very close to the
one I'm refering to. -- Jim
SPEAKING OF REAR WINDOWS...(JAN 04)
Subj: rear windows
From: Mark Oltjenbruns <moltjenb@bellsouth.net>
Hi Jim ,
It looks like its time to replace the rear plexiglass windows , I have a
hairline crack about 1 1/2". I found some plexiglass .118 thick thats
almost an exact smoke tint match . I see that Mark Holliday says use a unibit
for drilling .The question is how do I bend it ? some say an oven or use a heat
gun . I can make a form to match the bend of the window . Any suggestions
appreciated. Happy New Year , Mark Oltjenbruns Swift 78311
Mark
It will actually go in without being pre formed, but if you do that it will
craze prematurely. I suggest you bend it to the approximate curvature and heat
it in an oven or if you can't find one that big, a big box with a heat lamp. If
you were using the regular light blue tint I would suggest Aircraft Supply (800)
569-9397 but I understand you want the gray tint. If you use a form, I believe
they cover the form with felt or some soft fabric. -- Jim