Retired Hood Ornament- VEGA

[sandmanoverhaul]

Hard to find a category for this, a hood ornament. Well, it was once a hood ornament. It was purchased missing its support arm and the large radial engine and prop assemblies. But, it still has its wheels that normally are broken off and still has the internal light socket. I have opted to transform the model into a desk model and created a new cowling from copper pipe and end cap soldered and ground smooth. The prop was from the parts bin. Eventually the stub appendage under the belly will be ground off and it will all will get a new nickel plate job. Photo on top shows an original, complete unit. The other two of this one getting its mods.

Tom

[sandmanoverhaul]

... And a Follow-up. Turns out these models were produced with a metal composite that was mostly aluminum. So after 5 hrs of sanding off the old pitted chrome and polishing the metal underneath, the VEGA is back in pretty decent shape. The middle picture shows half the wing with the old chrome on left and the new polished metal on right. Decided to take a family portrait (FLOCKHEED II) with its siblings from the Golden Age of Aviation.

Tom

[Tone]

I saw one of these on the television show Storage Wars. The Vega had the exposed radial engine like the one in the first photo, no cowling, and the interior lit up. This series is about people in California who bid on storage lockers filled with people's stuff, then go to get it appraised so they can sell it at their thrift shops. The appraiser valued the Vega at $600.