# Lady Schwinn Hornet #R08846



## azbustedvw (Nov 6, 2012)

My lady green hornet bears the above SN. It doesn't appear on the angel fire list and it is 5 digit which I believe means she is older than 1947. Is that correct? Anyone know her production year? I can post pics later today!


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## Rear Facing Drop Out (Nov 6, 2012)

*location*

Where is the serial# located? Rear axle area is post 51 and under the crank housing is pre51 they switched somewhere in the middle. Rear facing drop outs in the back for the wheel to slide in? Thats Prewar otherwise postwar.


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## azbustedvw (Nov 7, 2012)

Rear Facing Drop Out said:


> Where is the serial# located? Rear axle area is post 51 and under the crank housing is pre51 they switched somewhere in the middle. Rear facing drop outs in the back for the wheel to slide in? Thats Prewar otherwise postwar.




The serial number is on the rear drop out so its 1951 or newer. Angel Fire list suggests 1955. I have included some photo's. Im a bit confused on what this bike really is.  It has a springer front end, a tank, and a "deluxe hornet" decal on the chain guard but the head badge says "Schwinn Spitfire". What the heck?


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## cyclebuster (Nov 7, 2012)

one clue is the 2 different colors on the tank vs the frame. Its been a long time since this gal led the prom, its likely had some affairs. Plus you never know what they got up to in that schwinn factory. I bet, however, the unfaded paint under that badge does not match unfaded paint inside the tank. and or chainguard


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## azbustedvw (Nov 8, 2012)

cyclebuster said:


> one clue is the 2 different colors on the tank vs the frame. Its been a long time since this gal led the prom, its likely had some affairs. Plus you never know what they got up to in that schwinn factory. I bet, however, the unfaded paint under that badge does not match unfaded paint inside the tank. and or chainguard




So you think she's a Spitfire wearing some Hornet accessories ?


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## Ozark Flyer (Nov 8, 2012)

I'm thinking the opposite.  The Rocket Ray is a Hornet feature. The badge appears to be blue rather than green telling me it is not original to the bike.  Patina on the Chainguard looks to be consistant with the frame.  I'm thinking it began life as a Deluxe Hornet but had the tank and headbadge added.  As mentioned above, the tank definately came from another bike.


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## Rear Facing Drop Out (Nov 8, 2012)

*look for a catalog*

Find a catalog to see what was offered for that year. Springers were not an option on the spitfire which I think even had a bolt on kickstand. Spitfires were low on the list...


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## GTs58 (Nov 8, 2012)

I'm with Ozark Flyer 100%


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## Kscheel (Nov 9, 2012)

azbustedvw said:


> The serial number is on the rear drop out so its 1951 or newer. Angel Fire list suggests 1955. I have included some photo's. Im a bit confused on what this bike really is.  It has a springer front end, a tank, and a "deluxe hornet" decal on the chain guard but the head badge says "Schwinn Spitfire". What the heck?




I have a blue girls Deluxe Hornet with the later style bolt-through springer and a original blue spitfire schwinn headbadge. The front fender does have holes from where a rocket ray was mounted.


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## greenephantom (Nov 9, 2012)

Pretty sure this bike is what the chainguard claims.  Girl's Deluxe Hornet was '55 only.  This one appears to be an early '55 as it has the old style bolt-behind-leg fork.  The badge is peculiar to the '55 and '56 Hornet and Spitfire lines.  These later Hornets used the Spitfire frame (no built-in kickstand) so for whatever reason Schwinn went with the Spitfire badge on these Hornets.  Lots of green Schwinn bikes turn up with blue badges, it's a real annoyance, but I think lots of them left the factory this way.  Original colors on this bike were Windswept Green and Opalescent Green.  The rest of the equipment looks correct.
Cheers, Geoff


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