Well worn B-10's

[Grant]

 

[deeb7]

... the A-2's also being very well worn.

 

[deand]

And the A-1. That bakelite in the visor..., well,... I can't see doing that to my repro to repro a vintage look. I guess there are limits on how close one can get to recreating how it really was worn.









dean

 

[deeb7]

And the A-1. That bakelite in the visor..., well,... I can't see doing that to my repro ...

Oh, they really were bakelite ... I was thinking that was something peculiar to MASH.

 

[deand]

And the A-1. That bakelite in the visor..., well,... I can't see doing that to my repro ...

Oh, they really were bakelite ... I was thinking that was something peculiar to MASH.

You raise an excellent point, David. I am basing my statement on the MASH site, which claims they were bakelite, and they show a photo of the insert, a rich brown thing that must be the bakelite material. I really have no other information on it. The repro I have has a visor insert that I imagine mimics bakelite, but is probably a modern plastic equivalent.




dean

 

[dmar836]

The presumably original B-1 I have has a stiff visor that I don't wish to flex too far. Once it cracks, it would never look right again. You never really even see them formed in period pics, do you?
Dave

 

[Dr H]

If it really is period bakelite (phenol-formaldehyde resin) then it would be inadvisable to put it under any real flexural stress as it'll crack dramatically and fail along the crease, especially if it has been aged.

 

[dmar836]

I would think wearing it as in the pic would give one a headache rather quickly.

 

[deand]

I called it an "A-1"! Idiot! You know I meant B-1. If bakelite was the stuff, shaping must have involved heat, but would there really be the right amount of flexibilty even then? I agree with Dr. H and you, Dave, I've always thought bakelite was very brittle, adise from being antique.







dean

 

[Dr H]

Thermosets are my business - if Bakelite it would have been moulded with heat/pressure in one shot, rather than shaped as with a thermoplastic.

 

[deand]

Thermosets are my business - if Bakelite it would have been moulded with heat/pressure in one shot, rather than shaped as with a thermoplastic.

Thank you for that bit of info. Makes one really wonder if it was bakelite, and why they would use it, when there were easier materials to use.







dean

 

[Dr H]

Well there were plenty of synthetic and semi-synthetic polymers around at the time, many better suited than Bakelite. Fine for moulded articles - casings, etc., but poor in thin section. Need to look into it a little more...

 

[Grant]

I think this photo's been posted here before but here's another photo from the same photographer.