Someone pointed out once that WW2 era vehicles had no liquid washer mechanism for their windscreens. If you wanted to clear it of dust, you wet a cloth and wiped it clean. The windshield wipers were useful for rain situations only. If the screen was dusty, you wouldn't use your wipers because it would just grind the dust around.

Although the crescent clean spot on the glass is a common (and attractive) modelling feature, I think this point is often missed by us.

(one company even markets vinyl masks for various softskin windscreens)

Any comments?

Surely if it's dusty and they gotta get where they're going they'll use the actual physical contact of the wipers to help them brush some dust off.

It's either that or stop every 10 minutes, or stop completely until it's less dusty.


Besides....if you own a car, surely you'll notice that the corona of the wipers is clear but the other area is not and after a few weeks that dirty area is pretty much opaque with dirt.

I see your argument Jon but to compare the areas on my modern vehicle isn't a good comparison. We know the "clean" areas of my windscreen are clean because the wiping action accompanied fluid.

If you were driving along and some muck or mud splashed up on your windshield, you'd use fluid. Why? Because you're pretty certain that just using your wipers would only smear the mud/bird dropping/insect guts around. If you knew your fluid resevoir was empty, you wouldn't engage the wipers at all. If you didn't have fluid, you'd make sure you wipe as soon as possible w/a wet cloth.

I agree that some level of dusting could develop in relation to the "clean" crescent but most softskin models I see have the dust to an opaque level. I'm trying to point out that this probably isn't a very likely scenario.

hope this helps.

Hi Jon: I may need to reconsider...
I just got this reply from Matthew Toms who drove many military vehicles:

Clear spots and folding windscreens.
October 27 2005, 12:03 PM

I drove just about every vehicle in the Army inventory during my career, and you're right, clean windshields should be virtually non-existant if you are modeling a vehicle in the field. If you can fold it down, you do, and wear goggles. If not, You DO use the wipers no matter what material is on the glass. When you're on the move, you dont have time to stop and get the Windex out! Dirt road dust usually is a talcum powder consistency and obscures the windshield like a beige curtain. The wipers efficiently squeegee the dust away, creating the characteristic arc, which is very common.

Best Wishes,
Matthew Toms
SSG, INF, USA (ret.)
AMPSCT


Maybe my pronouncement is a bit extreme in light of Matthew's comments. Thanks for your thoughts too.

I'm old enough to remember the pre-washer days......
That was when you actually had someone wash your windshield when you got gas..... (believe it or not, they also checked your oil, and air in the tires.)

If you ran your wipers dry, the dirt and grit chewed up the rubber blades in about 5 minutes, and then all you had was nothing but streaks when it rained...... :-) :-)

I personally prefer simply using a dampened Q-tip (cotton-bud) to clean the windshield.

My M-60A2 had wipers and washers for the gunner's and TC's perisopes. (++) (++)

Talking about dusty vehicle....

BTW a M35A3 conversion set for the AFV Club A2 would be welcome (but I'm digressing... )

Frenchy

I responded to this same question on M-L but the accompanying pic didn't show up. If you want to be in a gunfight with dirty windshields and windows, I guess that's your thing. We kept ours spotless, and cleaned them at every security halt.

I would say that photo was taken just after a dust storm and the vehicles would have been stationary as the tires are all one color too. If the vehicles had been moving and only just stopped the tire tread would be darker.

On another note in WW2 in the desert they put oil on the windscreen and sprinkled dust on it just leaving a small semi circle to see through. This reduced the risk of sun reflection off the windscreen.

cheers
Cliff

I think you're right Cliff. The original title of this picture is "Stormeffects"....

Frenchy

I think they need a wash and some dry brushing to bring out the detail - the weathering makes them look a bit too flat, IMO #:-)

Hi Roy. Dont want to get involved in the debate of right or wrong, as I wouldn´t know enough to even hazard a guess. For me, its an artistic thing and when done well, does really add to a well weathered vehicle.
My problem with the whole idea, is when the front two windows have a perfect "crescent clean spot on the glass" compared to the dust shown around it, and then other frontal windows are perfectly clean. I know some extra could be claimed by water washed on previously, but I have seen some perfectly masked windows and the only dust on the upper front of the vehicle is the windscreens.
I think thats something thats even more obviously stepped over sometimes.

After reading this I am now debating on if or how I should show dust on the windshield of an Academy Hummer ambulance I am building one used in Iraq now It will be in the NATO 3-tone camo
One of the DSB members over there now gave me the camo type and bumper numbers

Now for the fun part Dusting up the windshields without overdoing it :-)

Howdy all. I have not been in many military vehicles that had a serviceable working washer system for the wipers if equipped. During road marches or movements the wipers are used dry(shock) to knock the big dirt out of view. It makes "less dusty" fan shaped areas to look through. When the washers are used on a dusty windshield you usually end up making mud and really obscuring your vision. Then you can stop and wet a rag a clean it manually. As 18 Bravo points out keeping the windows clean is a survival tool in a combat zone and a safety factor at all other times. Cleaning the windows or optics before, during and after the mission is a part of life in a good outfit. Out here.