Lockheed L-18 Project

Milton Shupe

Milton Shupe

Staff Contributor
Staff member
What is this? A windshield post? It protrudes on some aircraft (maybe all).

Also note that it exists on L-18's that have the rectangular side windows, but not on those with a rounder side window rear edge.

I have seen C-60A's both ways.

So is this an early vs late model difference?

EDIT: Changed name of thread as a project thread.
 
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Hi Milton,

My initial thought is it's a windshield wiper, but without clearer pics it's hard to say.

Pete.
 
Hi Milton,

I have found some very clear pics of a C-56(?) in the Castle Air Museum, Atwater, Ca one of which is this one

CAM286.jpg

and it seems to show it's something to do with helping to clear the rain away from the side windows (?). The original picture in their catalogue is much larger, but too big for here I think.

www.skytamer.com/2.6.5.6.htm‎

Andy.

1936 Lockheed Electra 12A Junior - Fly/In Cruise/

this is the title of a youtube video showing an Electra coming in to land and it shows the very different windscreen layout, 4 in this case, with the other aircraft from the air museum having a 6 section windscreen. Perhaps it's something to do with that.

A
 
Hi- don't know if this helps but here is close-up of a pic I took of the Hudson here in Australia - looks like a wind deflector.

window.jpg
 
This months Aeroplane magazine (April 2014) has some pictures of the Hudson & show them as deflectors, but with the outboard edges unsupported.
Now how that relates to a L18.....
Keith
 
Great shots guys. Yes, seems to be some kind of deflector maybe due to lack of good deicer technology in those early days as aircraft could now cruise above 10-12K feet and operate over mountainous regions over ranges.

I have checked the C-56-7-9, and C-60's and they all had it available initially it seems.

I also could not find an explanation of the rounder rear side windows, and why they do not have this feature or the double windshield posts. Still trying to sort it all out.

I appreciate your help in sorting this out.
 
Dynasaur said:
Hi- don't know if this helps but here is close-up of a pic I took of the Hudson here in Australia - looks like a wind deflector.
Click to expand...

Now I recognise. Dutch Dakota Association's first DC-3C PH-DDA (which tragically crashed in September 1996 with all on board perished) has a similar wind deflector on the strut separating the solid part of the left-hand wind screen from the direct vision part.

Cheers,
Maarten
 
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Dynasaur, it does appear so. However I think there were many changes as the L-18 came through the line.

I found a reference in the Lodestar maintenance Manual to a "Side Panel" (the sliding side glass), the "front fixed panel' ( the two center panels) and "Adjustable Front Panel". The glass replacement instructions jive with the interior cockpit photo Milton's been working from so I think that part has been resolved. With this panel being adjustable it would make sense for the large ridge pointed out by Milton is a wind deflector to force air out and away from the 'corner' windows.

NOW there's another quandry... WHY would they develop a window that appears to be unlockable at the bottom and hinged at the top-center on a "ball-joint hinge". It appears to hinge at top, pivot inward at the bottom and then ( because of the ball-joint) be rotatable in-and-up or in and turned to orient parallel with the fore/aft axis of the aircraft.
Someone have an ice-scraper?

Milton, I've sent you a PM with some more info.
 
I wasn't able to find anything on it, but it was the first time I've seen the Howard 250 development of it, what a cool plane!

Based on that bar's proximity to the windshield wiper, I was wondering if it sort of acted like a fence on the windshield to prevent anti-icing fluid from just being swept away in the slipstream? If the wiper blade was up (retracted) and fluid was sprayed, it looks like that bar/fence would force the fluid up into the wiper to be used to de-ice the windshield, but that's a complete guess on my part.
 
Hi Milton,

what you're seeing are the frames for small glass panels that acted as deflectors. Most L-18 Lodestars had these and also the Hudson bombers did too.
The rounded side windows and windscreens without the posts in them were a modification to the L-18s in the 1950's and were Howard conversions I would think.
 
Think between everybody, you've got your answer, it's the rain deflector for the dv (direct vision) window.Back in the day when windscreen heating and wipers weren't as effective as they are nowadays, crew could open dv window in-flight, usually on final approach for a bettter view, the approach being flown in sideslip to keep the draft down.TtfnPete
 
Motormouse said:
Think between everybody, you've got your answer, it's the rain deflector for the dv (direct vision) window.Back in the day when windscreen heating and wipers weren't as effective as they are nowadays, crew could open dv window in-flight, usually on final approach for a bettter view, the approach being flown in sideslip to keep the draft down.TtfnPete
Click to expand...

Exactly. :)
 
Thank you all for the discussion and pictures on this topic; very helpful. :)

And, for the next question to show my ignorance: what are these objects along each side of the fuselage? They appear to be air vents.

And, does anyone have better detail for modeling purposes?
 
Pictures that Inspire Action

There is always at least one picture that provides motivation. In this case, one for the military variant, one for a civilian variant.
 
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