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Need Lockheed P-80C Canopy; Working On Restoration

DeltaMD11 From United States, joined Dec 2002, 1649 posts, RR: 51
Posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 885 times:

Okay guys,
I've got a tough one for you. I am involved with the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association (DVHAA), based out of AS (NAS) / Mitscher Field (NKX / KNKX), USA - California">NAS JRB Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Our current restoration project is a 1947-vintage Lockheed P-80C Shooting Star. Since the aircraft was sitting in the middle of a field for many moons....we ended up having to cut the plexiglass in the canopy off (there were no other alternatives), leaving us with half of the canopy still in place. Original plans were to take the plexiglass and mold it back together-which can be done. However, the executive board of our organization has approved the money with which to buy a whole new canopy to install.

Here is where you guys come in. Does anyone work at an aircraft salvage company/aircraft graveyard/know where I can get an intact canopy in relatively good condition (perfect preferable) that was made to fit our aircraft? Here are the specs on our bird:

THE AIRCRAFT DATA PLATE FROM THE COCKPIT READS AS FOLLOWS.

U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES
TYPE: P-80C- 1 (OR 5) -LO THE 5 IS STAMPED OVER THE 1
SERIAL NO. 47-1407
ORDER NO. W 33-038
AC-16132

I need some correspondance ASAP. Please e-mail me with inquiries regarding this post at: bishop87@comcast.net

Thanks in advance.

Bryan S. Painter
Restoration Team
F-9F Panther Plane Captain
DVHAA
www.dvhaa.org

Too often we ... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

3 replies: All unread, jump to last

Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10017 posts, RR: 29
Reply 1, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 775 times:

Maybe AFMC (the Air Force Materiel Command) can do something for you, there might still be parts somewhere (maybe at AMARC) that you could procure or be donated.
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/fs_143.shtml for contact information.
I tried the website for Davis Monthan AFB (home of AMARC) but it seems to be down at the moment, it should be http://www.dm.af.mil/AMARC.

I wish I were flying

L-188 From United States, joined Jul 1999, 28604 posts, RR: 73
Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 767 times:

Just out of curiousity how where the origninals manufactured.

If memory serves the P-51 canopys where all idividually blown into shape with hot air. Therefore no two P-51 canopies are exactly the same.

I wonder if a simular process where used to form the canopies on the P-80 considering the vintage and all.

OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.

DeltaMD11 From United States, joined Dec 2002, 1649 posts, RR: 51
Reply 3, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 704 times:

Thank you Jeroen. I'll do some poking around.

-188: I'm not exactly sure how the canopies were made, but I can ask around this weekend when i'm on base. Someone should know Smile