SANDBLASTED WINDSHIELD

As I mentioned on page 4 in the Engine & Reduction Drive section, after the re-drive broke in Oct '01, and the death of my dad in Jan '02, Vamoose got neglected and left out in the sun in my driveway.  For nearly a year it sat there, being cooked in the Palm Springs sun, and blasted by the grit and sand carrying wind swirling thru.  Finally - guiltily - I moved the airplane onto the sheltered porch where I'd originally built it.  I have to credit the members of the Kolb List for helping keep the spark alive.  Without their constant encouragement - and sometimes-not-so-gentle prodding - I really doubt if I would've ever started back up on it.  Vamoose nearly became a garage rafter project.  The picture below shows Vamoose on the day I moved it under shelter.

Shortly after this, it got a good bath, then I moved it up to the A&P's shop in the high desert to finish the covering and painting.  Even tho' this was a low priority for him, and took months to finish, seeing the shiny new white painted fabric really started to get the enthusiasm going again.  When the covering was done, a 2 month (yesssss ! ! !) vacation intervened, and I went completely around the country - and a portion of Canada - to meet many of the people on the Kolb List.  Great people, and I wish I could've taken time to meet many more.  The trip is documented in Vacation '03.  When I returned, the trailer and landing gear projects were next, and I also made an attempt to clean up the windshield.  Using Novus fine polishing compound, I went over it 3 times by hand, and came up with the result shown below.  The plane is probably fly-able, but it's not acceptable.  Conversations via email with many Kolb List-ers has me very hopeful about continuing this treatment with a power buffer - very carefully.  I'll keep ya posted.

Just can't get away with nuthin'.  I tried Novus on the buffer with a random orbit sander, and it did quite well, but still not acceptable.  Other projects intervened, and it was several weeks before I got back to the windshield problem.  I was astonished at how fast the thing had deteriorated, and now there was no question............the windshield had to go.  Using the old windshield halves as patterns, it took just 1 1/2 hours to re-do each side with shiny new .093 lexan.  Here's a very graphic before and after, below.

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