Quick release sacrificial shield for window assembly

A window assembly comprising:

• a window;
• a protective shield for the window;
• a frame supporting the window and the shield, the frame including an inwardly facing saddle which supports the window within the frame, the frame further including a retainer adjacent the saddle which releasably retains the shield and the window within the frame with the shield extending over and protecting the window, the retainer comprising an essentially rigid material with at least a portion of the retainer extending over and protecting at least a portion of the shield wherein the retainer is a vertically extending leg shaped to fit tightly into the casing with an upper vertically extending leg extending substantially parallel to an inside of the window and shield when mounted in the window assembly and wherein the lower leg of the retainer includes a serrated portion mating with a serrated interior of the casing to tightly yet releasably secure the retainer to the saddle and to the frame and wherein the upper vertically extending leg of the retainer includes elongated vertically spaced side cavities for releasably receiving an elongated second window seal and an elongated shield seal respectively;
• a first window seal sup ported by the saddle for engaging and supporting the window ;
• and
• an elongated casing in the saddle for releasably receiving at least a portion of the retainer.