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Rear-view mirrors

N8RV

N8RV

Well Known Member
This may technically belong in the classifieds, but since I'm not selling anything, I'm not so sure. :D

I had several people ask me at Oshkosh where I got the rear-view mirrors that are mounted on my rollbar. I snagged them many years ago at the AeroMart at Oshkosh, and haven't seen any since.

However, I just noticed some posted for sale on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COCKPIT-REARVIEW-MIRRORS-FIGHTER-JET-AIRCRAFT-UNIT-NOS-/160446033678?pt=Motors_Aviation_Parts_Gear&hash=item255b542f0e

They look to be the same item, but significantly more than I paid for mine. :D

Just an FYI if anyone's interested in seeing who's sneaking up on your six.
 
I remember them on a T-38 some years back.

They are very light weight. I think that they might be a first-surface mirror, that is, not through a glass face. That means that they need to be polished once in a while.
 
They must be PROUD of those mirrors at that price.

I paid less than $10 a few years ago for my mirror at PepBoys.
 
RV6_flyer said:
They must be PROUD of those mirrors at that price.

I paid less than $10 a few years ago for my mirror at PepBoys.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Gary, but they don't use Pep Boys mirrors in F-14s. :D

As for being front-surface, not sure. I had mine mounted in my Yankee for a few years, and now in Smokey and they're not scratched or anything. There's no shadowing, so if it's glass surfaced, it's thin.

Anyway, just thought I'd give a heads-up for anyone in the market.
 
Nice Mirrors

You guys are right about them being expensive, BUT, they are New in the 1966 box, right out of the DM boneyard, real, USAF, high quality mirrors.

Are they worth it..

To me, yep, you decide..
 
RV8iator said:
You guys are right about them being expensive, BUT, they are New in the 1966 box, right out of the DM boneyard, real, USAF, high quality mirrors.

Are they worth it..

To me, yep, you decide..
Click to expand...

yeah, and the seller says they are not for flight! ha ha!
 
Not sure how they'd look in anything but an -8, but they match the curvature of the rollbar pretty well ...

N8RV_Panel_1.jpg
 
Don,

I looked and it said the listing was over...wonder if any VAF guys got 'em! (Widget?)

I probably would have snagged them to see if they'd work in a side by side. Please holler if you see any more...they look great in your airplane!

Never noticed this before, but you have Dynon's right? I see all the extra buttons...did you build the rings with spare buttons, to give them an MFD look, to go with the HUD and HOTAS gear? Also wondering if the indexers work...I have the Vx Aviation AOA repeater as an indexer of sorts, but love the look (I pretty much like everything about your airplane...even had the same 84 bones on the back of my helmet all the way through training!)

Cheers,
Bob
 
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rvmills said:
Never noticed this before, but you have Dynon's right? I see all the extra buttons...did you build the rings with spare buttons, to give them an MFD look, to go with the HUD and HOTAS gear? Also wondering if the indexers work...I have the Vx Aviation AOA repeater as an indexer of sorts, but love the look (I pretty much like everything about your airplane...even had the same 84 bones on the back of my helmet all the way through training!)

Cheers,
Bob
Click to expand...


Thanks, Bob. Nice to know that there are other Walter Mitty types out there in RV-land. I'd hate to think that I'm the only RVer who should be committed. :D

Yeah, when the fighter scheme started oozing into the cockpit instead of just the paint job, I sorta got carried away. With the help of the GREAT Dynon guys, I made a couple of overlays for the D-100 & D-120 (they supplied the buttons) to simulate MFDs. The indexers are F-16 stock and are just for looks. I would love the Dynon folks to figure out how to output the AOA info to the left indexer. However, I don't think there will ever be much use for the right indexer -- in-flight refueling and nosewheel steering. :D

Thanks for the kudos. Wait till I start the ACES II when the weather turns cold ... heheh ...
 
Don,

Thanks to your post and Widget's lead to the seller, I'm out another c-note! ;)

I actually bought 4...two for me, two for a buddy with a CJ-6 (he's been looking and said they are as hard to find as hen's teeth...he's also a happy camper!) Will see how they look in the six...should be nice!

On the indexer, VAF's Vern Little makes the Vx Aviation ADS AOA repeater for the Dynon. Looks like an indexer, but has LEDs instead of chevrons and a donut. But when mine goes from yellow to red, my plane buffets and stalls. Check it out...might even fit in the indexer shell...I may fab an AL shell to give mine more of an indexer look. Will shoot you a picture.

Thanks again for the lead! As for being committed...yeah, they let me out of my straight jacket to fly once in awhile...gets some funny looks at work though! :D

Cheers,
Bob
 
per unit

Look at the auction and it said there were two mirrors in the picture (to see front and back), but the auction was for one mirror.
 
where to get'em

For anyone not willing to part with $$$, I made mine from the acrylic mirror found busted on the ground in a parkade....you know, the ones that show traffic coming around the corner.
They seem to be just the right wide-angle, and I sanded them down on the belt-sander until skinny enough not to obscure any view forward.
They are plated on the face, so some scratching is eventual.
I just use it to check my trim tab setting at runup, and if I'm drifting off centreline on climbout.
Bandits at 6?

P.S. hey, I bet the ''chrome-your-fibreglas-spinner" guys could custom make some also!??!??
 
rvmills said:
Meant to ask, do you have any pix of the mount and how it looks from the back? Thanks!

Bob
Click to expand...

No, I don't think I took any pics of the mounting. All I did was make a 90-degree steel bracket and tap a couple of screw holes in the rollbar. After screwing it in place, I supported it with some flox and sanded it smooth. Nothing fancy, but it works. The -3 bolts that mount the mirrors to the brackets are just tight enough to resist movement, yet still allow adjustment.

Good luck. Glad somebody shares my mirror enthusiasm.
 
The eBay sale is out of mirrors, but the guy said he'll list some more soon. I'd like a pair, they look great!
 
N8RV said:
No, I don't think I took any pics of the mounting. All I did was make a 90-degree steel bracket and tap a couple of screw holes in the rollbar. After screwing it in place, I supported it with some flox and sanded it smooth. Nothing fancy, but it works. The -3 bolts that mount the mirrors to the brackets are just tight enough to resist movement, yet still allow adjustment.
Click to expand...

Sounds good Don...that's a good head start...we'll see what the mount looks like in person and go from there.

N8RV said:
Good luck. Glad somebody shares my mirror enthusiasm.
Click to expand...

flickroll said:
The eBay sale is out of mirrors, but the guy said he'll list some more soon. I'd like a pair, they look great!
Click to expand...

I think more than a few do Don. The seller said to me on the phone, "I'm packing several of these for shipment today...don't know what's going on! I've had these for a few years, and suddenly I'm selling them all!"I told him some pics got posted on an RV forum that has over 12,000 members, and he just said "really!"

See what you started! :D

On the $$, as Widget said, "Are they worth it?" I thought so too. My CJ-6 buddy said they cost the military juuuussst a bit more than $50 each (like $3,500 a pair! Not sure if that's true, but if it is, we got something way better than a 600 dollar ashtray!)

He also said they are designed to be zero distortion...really good if you want to know just exactly how good you look in an RV! :D

Cheers,
Bob
 
DIY

Mirrors aren't all that hard to make, especially if you're in to doing stained glass as a hobby. If that's not your bag, find a friend that does, or go to the local stained glass supply house. Me, I do stained glass and made mirrors for Ron Schreck to install in his RV-8. I did the mirrors, he did the back plates and mount. Here's what's involved to make the mirrors: Draw a pattern. Get some mirrored glass. I got a box with six 12" x 12" pieces at Lowes for
$9. Trace pattern on glass. Cut with glass cutter. Square edges with diamond grinder. Cover edges with copper foil, then solder. Apply chemical that turns the copper black. Greek to you, very understandable to somebody that does stained glass work. Make backplate from .04-.06 aluminum. Rivet mount to backplate, then RTV backplate to mirror. Place assembly face down and spray paint flat black. Everything after make a mirror I guessed at, so if there are mistakes, Ron will correct me.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo/Smoke#5517613080416045234

http://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo/Smoke#5517613028024265570

http://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo/Smoke#5517613005394419122

http://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo/Smoke#5517613043570784322

Tony
 
Tony Spicer said:
Mirrors aren't all that hard to make, especially if you're in to doing stained glass as a hobby ...
Click to expand...

Those look real nice, Tony. Sounds like you just found yourself a small side business! :D

Seriously, make a pattern that adapts well to each model and start taking orders. I'd bet you'd have a gazillion takers if they were priced right. It never hurts to see your back end when doing a runup or whether your back seater is ready to barf. :eek:
 
Just received my mirror purchase through ebay and it is cracked! I have not contacted the seller yet but I'll let you know how it goes :((((
 
Ken,

Sorry to hear that. He seems like a straight-up guy, and I'll bet he takes care of ya. Let him know you're from that same 12,600+ member forum I told him about. I'm sure he'll realize that if he doesn't take care of you, you will have bought the last set (among our group at least!). I'm betting it won't be a problem.

I was fortunate, and mine came in OK. FWIW, they fit the curve of a side-by-side nicely as well (IMHO). Now just to fab up a mount. Gotta decide between the rollbar and the smaller bar on the slider. Don, looks like yours is a slider from the pics. Any issues with the canopy grazing the mirrors as you close/open it? Did you have to mount it further inboard than you wanted (ie, can you see to the side as well as you like? I know, kind of a lot of questions for a silly mirror mount (silly mounting Q, the mirror's still cool! ;))

Will post pix when I'm done (after the Pagosa Springs Race this weekend...hopefully won't need them there! :p)

Cheers,
Bob
 
Thanks Bob. I sent him an email last night. I'll use the leverage of our forum if he doesn't fix this issue.

I was playing with how to insall these mirrors on the rollbar vice the slider. The bracket on the back of the mirror stands-off enough to be able to mount an angle alum piece more toward the inside of the rollbar curvature which for me does two things: gives clearance for the canopy when closed and brings the mirror in closer to the rollbar itself helping prevent becoming a snag hazard while entering/exiting the cockpit.

regards,

Ken
 
rvmills said:
... Don, looks like yours is a slider from the pics. Any issues with the canopy grazing the mirrors as you close/open it? Did you have to mount it further inboard than you wanted (ie, can you see to the side as well as you like? I know, kind of a lot of questions for a silly mirror mount (silly mounting Q, the mirror's still cool! ;))...
Click to expand...

Bob, I haven't had any interference with the slider. Of course, I took that into consideration when I mounted them (I actually planned ahead for a change). I'm happy with their position. The only change I may integrate sometime is to remount them with rubber washers to minimize vibration. There isn't much, but enough that I'd like to eliminate it if possible.
 
Contacted Lee, the ebay seller and he immediatly sent out a new set, verified unbroken and told me to keep the cracked one. No questions asked. Good guy!
 
price

What is he charging for "direct sales"?

I need to keep an eye on Nasty and my little 1.99 Kragen Auto Parts mirrors don't do justice to how good he looks.

Slick
 
Direct sale mirror

I purchased one directly from him. The price was $50 + $10 shipping. He likes Paypal. Mirror should arrive any day now.
 
RV8R999 said:
Contacted Lee, the ebay seller and he immediatly sent out a new set, verified unbroken and told me to keep the cracked one. No questions asked. Good guy!
Click to expand...

Excellent!! Always nice when you find good folks out there to deal with!

N8RV said:
Bob, I haven't had any interference with the slider. Of course, I took that into consideration when I mounted them (I actually planned ahead for a change). I'm happy with their position. The only change I may integrate sometime is to remount them with rubber washers to minimize vibration. There isn't much, but enough that I'd like to eliminate it if possible.
Click to expand...

I've been waffling between the roll bar and the slider bar. Since I have a side-by-side, I'm concerned that pax will grab or whack the mirror on the way in...but I really like the way yours look! Will keep playing. However, Reno bud Greg Arehart just made up a nice mount that is half of a conduit, with a threaded 3/16" rod bent at a 90, and screwed into a tapped hole in the center of the conduit. We squeezed the conduit a bit and it fits the slider bar perfectly. Will attach it with tie wraps till I'm sure of the location. I was going to use nylon washers for friction and vibes, but rubber sounds good too. Fun to play with it!

tcone1 said:
What is he charging for "direct sales"?

I need to keep an eye on Nasty and my little 1.99 Kragen Auto Parts mirrors don't do justice to how good he looks.

Slick
Click to expand...

Slick,

I bought direct like Steve, and the price was the same. Wish I'd known you were interested! They're totally worth it...very good view, no distortion, much truer size repro than the Kragen's I have...no need for the "Objects in mirror are smaller..." placard! ;)

Readers may not know who Nasty is...but he's "Way Too Sexy For Your Mirrors, For Your Mirrors!" :p

Like Widget said, its cool to see the dates on the boxes (mine were 1966 and 1967). The paper tape starts to flake off as you open the box, its so old. But the boxes are in good shape, and the mirrors are pristine inside (the ones that aren't cracked, right Ken!)

Yep Widget..worth it! Good call! And good lead Don!

Cheers,
Bob
 
I was very pleased Lee turned out to be a good man.

I've decided to only install one mirror on the right side to preclude any cockpit entry/exit snag issues. I'm long legged and already have to be very careful when getting in/out. I can always install the 2nd one later if I want.

Good luck!

Ken
 
rvmills said:
On the $$, as Widget said, "Are they worth it?" I thought so too. My CJ-6 buddy said they cost the military juuuussst a bit more than $50 each (like $3,500 a pair! Not sure if that's true, but if it is, we got something way better than a 600 dollar ashtray!)

He also said they are designed to be zero distortion...really good if you want to know just exactly how good you look in an RV! :D

Cheers,
Bob
Click to expand...

I'm so good at spending other peoples money I ought to get paid for it..

Still haven't got my mirrors mounted. Been flying to much, and that's a good thing.
 
RV8iator said:
I'm so good at spending other peoples money I ought to get paid for it..
Click to expand...

What's that I heard about a kick back!?!? :p

RV8iator said:
Still haven't got my mirrors mounted. Been flying to much, and that's a good thing.
Click to expand...

Widget, looks like Ken and I beat ya to it. Just got mine hung a couple days ago. Greg modified his design a little (still conduit with a threaded rod bent at a 90, then screwed into the conduit and JB welded in place). He even sprayed them flat black for me...what a bud. I have them tie wrapped in place, and the mount fades into the roll bar well. The mirrors are held on the threaded rod with a wing nut, and nylon washers add some cushion/dampening (test flight will tell this weekend...weather has been custard this week...as my New Zealand buddy likes to term it). Here's a few pics to motivate ya Widget! Poorly lit iPhone pics, but gives ya the idea...they worked well in a side-by-side:

mirror2a.jpg


mirror3m.jpg


mirror4.jpg


mirror5p.jpg


mirror6.jpg


Now to just put them to use with the West Coast Ravens!!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Data Points

Last week, I was lucky enough to snag a pair of the mirrrors from the Ebay seller when someone else wasted time trying to decide to buy them or not. Flush mounted to nest in and conform to the curvature of the rollbar and using two small right angle clips joined together to form a T, each leg of the "T" is attached to the roll bar with a single 3213 structural Cherry rivet. The back of the mirror is attached to the "T" with an AN3 bolt. The mirrors are positioned in such a way that the elevators can be clearly seen. I included the info on the boxes the mirrors came in for anyone interested in trying to chase down a pair.

My buddy, a former Marine pilot reports this is the mirror he remembers fitted to the A-4 Skyhawk.

2dalitw.jpg
 
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rvmills said:
mirror4.jpg
Click to expand...

Oh, Bob ...

What IS that aircraft in the background under a tarp? According to the FAA, N31SG is a Lancair 320. That's NOT a Lancair 320. :eek:

Do tell ...? :D

Oh, and I'm glad that you boys are enjoying the mirrors. I'd hate to think that I'd given you a bum steer.
 
tcone1 said:
...next time we dogfight
Click to expand...

Like I'll need rear view mirrors for that! :p

Rick6a said:
Flush mounted to nest in and conform to the curvature of the rollbar and using two small right angle clips joined together to form a T, each leg of the "T" is attached to the roll bar with a single 3213 structural Cherry rivet. The back of the mirror is attached to the "T" with an AN3 bolt.
Click to expand...

Rick, can you post pics of that mount? Sounds like a good solution, and I'm still waffling on roll bar versus the smaller slider support "roll bar" (where I have them now). Thanks!

Rick6a said:
My buddy, a former Marine pilot reports this is the mirror he remembers fitted to the A-4 Skyhawk.
Click to expand...

Thought they looked familiar! TA-4's had 'em too! :)

N8RV said:
Oh, Bob ...

What IS that aircraft in the background under a tarp? According to the FAA, N31SG is a Lancair 320. That's NOT a Lancair 320. :eek:

Do tell ...? :D
Click to expand...

Ken, thats an L-29 in storage. My hangar mate's Lancair (1SG) is in front of it, He bought that Lancair in a sealed bid auction (cheap) after a hangar door fell on it, and did the repairs to get it flying (why the spare fuse and wings he found on eBay are hanging above and behind...didn't need them though). The L-29 is stored for a friend of his. Wings and center section are to the back of the hangar. Takes up some space, but gives me some good nooks and crannies for storing my wingtip forming foam and other goodies! :D

N8RV said:
Oh, and I'm glad that you boys are enjoying the mirrors. I'd hate to think that I'd given you a bum steer.
Click to expand...

Good steer, for sure!!

Cheers,
Bob
 
rvmills said:
......Rick, can you post pics of that mount? Sounds like a good solution.....
Click to expand...
Hey Bob,

I had nothing to go on except imagination. Here is a pic taken though the windshield. To fabricate the mount, you'll likely find 2 small pieces of angle stock works just fine.

eguz36.jpg
 
Nice and simple Rick...good stuff. We'll see how the slider mount does, and if I don't like that, I'll (once again) be copying your ideas! :)

How's the vibration in yours? On my mount, I used an AN-3 washer between the ears on the mirror (you don't need that because the mount fills the gap), and a nylon washer on each side (on the bottom and under the wingnut) for dampening. I think others have used rubber washers there. It'd be interesting to see if yours are less prone to vibes, cinched down with the AN-3 washers. Hope to test fly it tomorrow, to see if our wingnut/nylon idea pans out!

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Follow up

Follow up after the first couple flights with the mirrors...a short X-C to a 3-ship form practice hop in which we swapped leads between all of us...so they were put to good test.

No vibes with the current mount (way to go Greg!). Side to side adjustment was easy. Only downside is the lack of a vertical adjustment (as expected)...but multi-axis mounting would probably just add vibration issues. After a few more tests as lead, I may bend (ahem, carefully adjust ;)) the mounting posts a bit to lower the view a bit...to aim right at the wingmen in parade.

But they look good and work well!

(We're getting a lot of posting mileage out of these things, eh! :p)

Cheers,
Bob
 
Found some!

I just got an e-mail from the seller on eBay some months ago saying that his friend found a lot of 4 surplus mirrors. If anyone's interested, check eBay Motors in the Aviation section for "mirrors". I saw this auction as well as a couple of others. Not cheap, but if you want real gov't surplus mirrors, there are a few available.
 
I received an (unsolicited) e-mail from Lee, the vendor who has surplus/scrap aircraft parts, informing me that he has a few more mirrors on eBay right now (4/6/14) if anyone is interested.

No clue how much or what condition. Just putting it out there for anyone who is looking for rear view mirrors.
 
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