[R-390] Aviation front panels

[Tom Norris]

Changed the subject so as to spare the poor horse a few beatings.

We could have a load-bearing frame topped with a flat black "light pipe" front
panel, aviation style, with all the lettering on the front panel 
having a cool red
glow at night, with "normal" white in brighter light. Could use LEDs instead of
the $25 apiece aviation backlights. The counter can be switched between white
or red lighting or replaced with a self-dimming LED display,  though 
tiny nixies
or a neon plasma display might be more "period" for the radio.
That would look *snazzy*, sort of like an LTV G-133F. (In case ya 
hain't heard of
this, it's a repackaged 51S1A) Could even use multi-color/multi-shaped knobs
LTV-style for full "blackout" operation. Yea, snazzy!

Tom NU4G

>That's a pretty cool idea Bob.  Engrave through the aluminum front 
>panel and into the lexan layer.  Paint the front and rear aluminum 
>pieces black and introduce light some how into the lexan layer to 
>illuminate the engravings in the lexan.  I believe that would be one 
>cool looking panel.  Got to find some way to close the edges so the 
>light wouldn't escape and ruin the effect in a darkened room.  Top 
>aluminum panel could have folded edges to contain the lexan layer.
>
>If we go to all that trouble maybe we could come up with a retro 
>style red LED frequency display to replace the veeder root counter 
>mounted in the same display cover....7 segment or maybe even dot 
>matrix LED.
>
>A real cool 2005 R-390B...If we could come up with a neat affordable 
>retrofit for the mechanical filters.....Hmmm
>
>Cecil...