Spitfire Bullet Proof Windscreen.

[cbe21ok]

I have a Spitfire front wind-screen, bullet proof, very very heavy, measures approx 32cm top to bottom and 30cm left to right at the bottom. It is just over 4cm width and very good conditon. Just wondering if anyone thought it had any value as i have not got a clue. I sent an email to a couple of Spitfire websites i Googled but neither have replied. I am told it was made in the 1970s. I also have one for a Hurricane, thanks.

[Engineer1]

Cool but probably worth naff all, besides they are bullet Resistant not Proof. Infact at a guess it was made by Triplex/ Pilkingtons.

[Eric Mc]

Looks in good condition. Do you know if it's an external screen or the later moulded in type?

[Simpo Two]

Why would you need bullet resistance in the 1970s? I appreciate you'd want something that 'looked' right for your Spitfire restoration but surely you could make a facsimile more cheaply and much lighter?

[Eric Mc]

Authenticity?

[Simpo Two]

You'll need 8 Brownings as well then

[Eric Mc]

Quite a few of them have their guns fitted - although they aren't capable of being fired.

[cbe21ok]

Eric Mc said:

Looks in good condition. Do you know if it's an external screen or the later moulded in type?

I am not really sure, i can probably find out. It is definitely from a Spitfire, it came from a local factory called Tyneside Safety Glass that made them up until the early 80s i believe and it belongs to a man that used to work there. He has a Hurricane screen as well.

[Eric Mc]

No wonder it looks in good condition - it can't be that old.

[cbe21ok]

I should have said 'for' a Spitfire, not 'from'. It has to be from before 1982 as this is the year the owner left the factory.

[Simon Brooks]

Try contacting the guys at Duxford imperial war museum, they may be interested or be able to point you in the right direction

[530dTPhil]

They are still available from Tyneside Safety Glass as they still make bullet resistant glass for a whole variety of applications. In terms of value, probably very little; we have one mounted on a wooden base just as a talking point for visitors. It was probably made in the same batch as the OP's as we have had it for around thirty years.

Edited by 530dTPhil on Saturday 15th October 22:09

[Simpo Two]

530dTPhil said:

They are still available from Tyneside Safety Glass as they still make bullet resistant glass for a whole variety of applications. In terms of value, probably very little

One of the few bits of a Spitfire that's cheap then!

I suppose if it was an original one, ideally with a bullet mark, it would be worth very much more for the provenance.

[topsparks]

My Mum used to work for them when they had a factory on the Ridgeway Estate in Iver,they had loads of bucks to make canopies for all sorts of old aircraft including spitfires,vampires etc,many still being used by third world airforces.They also made toughened glass there.I remember their bullet proof glass tester showing me his firearms certificate which had all sorts on it including sawn off shot guns and assault rifles.Her boss also used to give me all his old flight international mags!,shame they shut the southern operation down in the late 80's.

[Brigand]

My dad had a bullet proof/resistant panel from a Lightning canopy, after years of just sitting in the garage, he gave it to a local woodworking man who turned it into a bloody heavy coffee table.

Still got it today, looks great, and should baddies ever invade my mums house, I can upturn the table and hide behind it!

If you fancy a strange item, why not do something similar with it? A Spitfire pane coffee table as well perhaps?

[cbe21ok]

530dTPhil said:

They are still available from Tyneside Safety Glass as they still make bullet resistant glass for a whole variety of applications. In terms of value, probably very little; we have one mounted on a wooden base just as a talking point for visitors. It was probably made in the same batch as the OP's as we have had it for around thirty years.

Edited by 530dTPhil on Saturday 15th October 22:09

How much would one cost now please?.

[Simpo Two]

Get on the blower to Tyneside Safety Glass: http://www.tynesidesafetyglass.co.uk/

[6fire]

There was a spitfire windscreen on eBay recently. Don't know how much it sold for but it may be worth doing a search on ended auctions. That may help you get an idea of market value. Not that eBay would be my first choice of a marketplace for a sale.

[530dTPhil]

cbe21ok said:

How much would one cost now please?.

Strangely it's not in our normal price list; not too many fleets or insurers with these on their books!

if you give Tyneside a ring, they have some very long serving employees who would have been involved with the manufacture of the last batch of screens in the early eighties. They would probably be able to give you a price. The enquiry might confuse some of the 'newer' members of the sales office though.

[Simpo Two]

530dTPhil said:

The enquiry might confuse some of the 'newer' members of the sales office though.

'Triumph Spitfire you mean? Yes, we can do those no problem'

'No, a Supermarine Spitfire'

'Er, is that the GT6 model with laminated glass, 1975?'

'No, the Mark V, 1942'

'Er, is that laminated or plain?

'Bullet-resistant please'