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Need Source for Vision Blocks for Dragoon AFV

Eracer46

Member
43
41
18
Location
Giddings/TX
We are refurbishing a 1980s Dragoon Armored Fighting Vehicle. Many of its bison blocks/ballistic windows are delaminated. We pulled one and it has the following markings:

VBI
FSCM 9S670
P/N 100617


Photos attached. We have been told that we might need to layer glass in a tapered fashion, and build our own. Before doing that, we would like to exhaust every possibility to find decent used ones.

Anyone have a lead for us? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.
 

Attachments

Dragoon300

Member
23
90
13
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
We are refurbishing a 1980s Dragoon Armored Fighting Vehicle. Many of its bison blocks/ballistic windows are delaminated. We pulled one and it has the following markings:

VBI
FSCM 9S670
P/N 100617


Photos attached. We have been told that we might need to layer glass in a tapered fashion, and build our own. Before doing that, we would like to exhaust every possibility to find decent used ones.

Anyone have a lead for us? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.
What is the year of you vehicle?
The early ones are smaller.
The front 6 are thicker (about double) for more protection than the rear 6.
How many do you need?
I have an early Dragoon, and know of some available vision blocks.
If you don't mind me asking, what PD had this one?
I have lots of pictures and info on these, and am very interested in their history. I'm in Michigan, PM me with details.
 

Eracer46

Member
43
41
18
Location
Giddings/TX
What is the year of you vehicle?
The early ones are smaller.
The front 6 are thicker (about double) for more protection than the rear 6.
How many do you need?
I have an early Dragoon, and know of some available vision blocks.
If you don't mind me asking, what PD had this one?
I have lots of pictures and info on these, and am very interested in their history. I'm in Michigan, PM me with details.
Thank you! PM on the way!
 

Buck Wampum

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
118
33
Location
SE PA
I obtained about a half-dozen vision blocks (used, fair condition) from an eBay auction a few years ago, they came from a police department. They look dimensionally (length/width/height) the same as a V-100 block, but are only about 2" thick instead of the normal 3" for a V-100 block. I had assumed they were V-150 blocks, but having read an earlier post on this thread that the Dragoon used thinner blocks on the side of the hull, I'm wondering if they are Dragoon blocks. Do you have dimensions for the side (thinner) blocks? One of the blocks I have is stamped "12467F FALCONER". Not sure if this is a part number you can verify.
 

Dragoon300

Member
23
90
13
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
I obtained about a half-dozen vision blocks (used, fair condition) from an eBay auction a few years ago, they came from a police department. They look dimensionally (length/width/height) the same as a V-100 block, but are only about 2" thick instead of the normal 3" for a V-100 block. I had assumed they were V-150 blocks, but having read an earlier post on this thread that the Dragoon used thinner blocks on the side of the hull, I'm wondering if they are Dragoon blocks. Do you have dimensions for the side (thinner) blocks? One of the blocks I have is stamped "12467F FALCONER". Not sure if this is a part number you can verify.
It is possible that your vision blocks fit a Dragoon 2
I have a rear door that uses the thinner block. The Dragoon 2 blocks are also longer than the Dragoon 300 blocks for a wider field of view.

What are the larger face dimensions?
Long edge corner to corner?
Short edge corner to corner?
Height mid long edge to mid short edge?
thickness?
Can you email or text me pictures?
I may be interested in them if you wish to sell.
 

Buck Wampum

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
118
33
Location
SE PA
It is possible that your vision blocks fit a Dragoon 2
I have a rear door that uses the thinner block. The Dragoon 2 blocks are also longer than the Dragoon 300 blocks for a wider field of view.

What are the larger face dimensions?
Long edge corner to corner?
Short edge corner to corner?
Height mid long edge to mid short edge?
thickness?
Can you email or text me pictures?
I may be interested in them if you wish to sell.
I'll get the measurements tomorrow, have been sick for the past three days. That's what I get for visiting family over the Christmas holiday.....
 

Buck Wampum

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
118
33
Location
SE PA
EDITED TO ADD: Visible glass area (excluding the frame) as measured mid-top side to mid-bottom side, is 4" on the outside glass surface and 3.25" on the inside glass surface

Ok, sorry for the delay, here are the vision block photos and measurements. As you know, the blocks are two parallelograms in a wedge configuration, so I did a quick sketch to show the dimensions of all the sides of the parallelograms. So, the top of the block is smaller than the bottom, and the inside is smaller than the outside. I placed the blocks on a sheet of paper, so you can see they are the correct soft-ray type of green tint, like tinted glass on an old GM muscle car. I also took pics where I angled the blocks into the light, to show the slight air pockets starting in the glass. The blocks are not cloudy, but you can see where the laminate layers are starting to show that slight wavy/watery look of delamination. Thankfully, no water got in there to cause cloudiness, so overall I'd consider these in fair-to-good shape, compared to the other blocks I've seen. The black spots on the glass appear to be tar or sealer on the surface. I'd say whoever removed them may have had a solvent to try and break the gasket sealant/tar for the removal process, and had sticky fingers as a result.

They all have the same Falconer part number and are late-80's production. If anyone can help me positively identify them via the part number, I'd greatly appreciate it. They are definitely not a V-100 part. However, if the outer face dimensions are the same as a V-100 block and the taper is the same (I haven't checked), you could use them in a V-100, they just would not be as thick. Might be good for a V-100 turret application, where no one would notice the thinner thickness dimension and they'd be pretty much up above a spectator's line of sight when installed.

Anyhow, I want to list them for sale in the classifieds but really want to ensure I can describe them accurately to prevent any surprises/disappointments. They were listed as V-150 parts on eBay when I bought them, and the lot included one V-100 block ("LOF 100734" P/N). That made me wonder if V-150's used thicker blocks in some (forward) positions and thinner ones in side/rear positions. It sounds like the Dragoon did just that, so hopefully someone with a V-150 or Dragoon parts manual can look up the "Falconer 112467F" part number and help me identify them.

Thanks,
Scott


IMG_4061.jpgIMG_4049.jpgIMG_4052.jpgIMG_4053.jpgIMG_4054.jpgIMG_4059.jpg
 
Last edited:

Buck Wampum

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
55
118
33
Location
SE PA
Update: I found out that these are 2" thick V-150 blocks, NSN 2990-01-276-9530.

Listed for sale here:
 
Last edited:
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