Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Does anyone know of a source for these nav light lenses? I need the red one.

Unless you can find a Thorp in a boneyard that’s not a part you’ll find. Rattray made those lenses and the wingtips ... he’s no longer in business. Unfortunately Tony the Thorp is a custom built airplane, these days more than ever for things like you seek. We have to make parts like this ourselves.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I kind of figured that. The tip I got from Cubes is exactly, as far as I can tell, like the right wing except for the mounting pads for strobe and nav light.

For what its worth:
I stretch formed the lenses on my thorp on the wingtips in my kitchen. Heated 1/8" plexiglass on a cookie sheet in the oven to 250 deg. ( I think, was a long time ago...might need to experiment with temp). The plex softens nicely and can easily be formed over the wing tip in the area where you want it to be. I used a piece of linen cloth between the tip and the plex. Of course, its very hot and has to be handled with good gloves! This only works if you are adding recessed lights to a tip which is uncut. I made the lenses first (3 sets in case I broke some). Then I filled the inside of the tip with expanding foam in the area where the light was going to be, and used that plug after shaping to lay up fiberglass ribs to mount the lights. Cut the notch out of the tip, bond in the rib, add nut plates for the lens screws, and finished. I used clear plex, as my lights have the colored bulb covers, but I think the colored plex would work just as well.
Good Luck!

That's good information. I will probably have to do it that way. Thanks for posting.

What did you do to keep the foam from sticking to the inside of the fiberglass tip?

Gasoline dissolves it. You will have better luck with .090 " Plex.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

I should have thought of this, but I have a female mold for drawing this lens. Scooter and I are planning to try it on his bird....which is now flying.
Cubes

That's good news, Cubes. Please let us know how it goes. The mold turns it into not as daunting a task. I need the left red one. Or clear if red plexi is not available.

If you need clear I can help out with that .. I have a mold and a few spares.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I used PAM for a parting agent. Pried the foam out and made a form to lay up the fiberglass ribs on. Same form used for L and R tips. Worked fine. Getting ready to cut the one out of the right tip and move it to the replacement I got from Cubes after the original got chopped up by the Bonanza prop.

Hello,

Lee do you have clear lenses available for both wingtips? I will need them for my T-18 N2WB project that just got out of paint.

Thank you!
Mike Durocher

I'll check ... I may have given away my last set a few months ago.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Ok! Please do and get back to me!

Thank you.

Yes I have a set

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD