CANOPY PAGE
KITS FOR SALE PAGE
email me
WE HAVE CREATED CLEAR CANOPIES FOR MOST OF OUR MODELS
THE METEOR'S CANOPY HAS NOT YET BEEN SANDED AND POLISHED. THE CABIN DOMES ON THE TWO BEECH AIRCRAFT IN THE BACKGROUND HAVE BEEN POLISHED, AND ARE MORE CLEAR. THE ENDS AND BOTTOM OF THE CLEAR PART WERE PAINTED THE DESIRED INTERIOR COOR BEFORE INSTALLATION.
IT IS NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO POLISH THE CLEAR PART.
. ESTABLISH A POINT ON THE FRONT END OF THE CLEAR PART AS A BASE LINE. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FROM THE BACK END OF THE EXCAVATION IN THE FUSELAGE.
THE CLEAR PART OF THE CANOPY IS MASKED OFF WITH ELMERS GLUE MIXED WITH POSTER PAINT. AFTER THE MODEL HAS BEEN PAINTED AND CLEAR-COATED, THE MASKING IS EASY TO REMOVE WITH A TOOTHPICK OR FINGERNAIL. NEXT THE FUSELAGE AREA OF THE CLEAR PART MUST BE PAINTED WITH THE DESIRED INTERIOR COLOR BEFORE THE MODEL IS PAINTED. WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE COCK PIT YOU WILL SEE THE INSIDES OF THE CLEAR PART.
IF YOU TAKE OUT TOO MUCH MATERIAL, YOU CAN FILL IN WITH SCRAP PLASTIC, SAND IT TO SHAPE, THEN PUTTY.

SEE THE ILLUSTRATIONS BELOW
I SUGGEST YOU COMPLETELY PREPARE THE CLEAR PART BEFORE MAKING THE CUTS AND EXCAVATIONs ON THE MODEL. 

 YOU NEED TO PAINT IT BEFORE INSTALLING IT AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CLEAR PART AFTER IT'S PAINTED. 
ALSO, IF YOU SOMEHOW DESTROY THE CANOPY YOU WILL STLL HAVE A MODEL.

I ALSO RECOMMEND YOU HOLD OFF DOING ANY  MAJOR SANDING ON THE MODEL UNTIL THE CLEAR PART IS INSTALLED,POLISHED, AND MASKED OFF AND ALL HOLES, SAW CUTS AND NICKS ARE PUTTIED UP. THEN SAND THE MODEL AS A UNIT. 
BE ADVISED THE WHITE RESIN IS SOFTER 
AND SANDS AWAY MORE EASILY THAN THE CLEAR RESIN
 SO  PAY ATTENTION!.

THE BOTTOM AND ENDS OF THE CLEAR PART SHOULD BE SANDED FLAT, AND THEN WET SANDED WITH 400 AND 600 GRIT TO MAKE THEM CLEAR.
 NOW PAINT THE BOTTOM AND ENDS OF THE CLEAR SECTION 
THE INTERIOR COLORS.
 YOU CAN CREATE THE ILLUSION OF AN INTERIOR BY PAINTING DIFFERENT COLORED SHAPES TO REPRESENT THE SEATS, HEADRESTS, ETC. 
THE CLEAR PART WORKS LIKE A LENS AND REVEALS THE TINY DETAILS.

NOW  INSTALL THE CLEAR SECTION INTO THE PLANE.

YOU'LL MAKE TWO SAW CUTS AT THE FRONT AND BACK, THEN REMOVE THE MATERIAL IN BETWEEN. A DREMEL TOOL IS GOOD FOR THIS, OR SOME VIGOROUS WORK WITH A SANDING STICK.  

I MAKE THE FRONT SAW CUT FIRST.  I LIKE TO  PICK A  POINT THAT'S EASY TO LOCATE ON BOTH PARTS, LIKE WHERE THE WINDSCREEN MEETS THE FUSELAGE, AND WORK FROM THAT POINT. REMEMBER, PREPARE THE CLEAR PART FIRST, THEN CUT THE MODEL TO FIT THE CLEAR SECTION. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FROM THE BACK END OF THE OPENING IN THE FUSELAGE. 
 IF YOU TAKE OUT TOO MUCH FUSELAGE YOU CAN SHIM IT BACK WITH SHEET STYRENE.
USE  FILLER PUTTY AS NEEDED  
 NOW POLISH THE CLEAR CANOPY AREA BY WET SANDING WITH 400 GRIT, 600 GRIT, 
 AND FINALLY POLISHING WITH BRASSO.

NOW MASK OFF THE CANOPY AREA OF THE CLEAR PART .
I PAINT ON A MIXTURE OF 
ELMER'S WHITE GLUE AND WATER BASED POSTER TYPE PAINT.
 PAINT THE FUSELAGE AREA OF THE CLEAR PART WITH THE DESIRED  INTERIOR COLORS.

NOW YOU CAN PAINT THE MODEL THE COLOR YOU WISH, AND THE INSIDE OF THE COCKPIT SIDES WILL BE THE INTERIOR COLOR.
LEAVE THE MASKING ON THE CANOPY TO PROTECT IT UNTIL YOU ARE DONE PAINTING AND CLEAR COATING  THE MODEL. THEN CAREFULLY PEEL IT OFF WITH A TOOTHPICK OR FINGERNAIL. CAREFUL DON'T SCRATCH THE POLISHED  SURFACE.

AFTER YOU REMOVE THE MASKING, PAINT THE CANOPY FRAMES WITH THE INTERIOR COLOR FIRST, THEN THE FUSELAGE COLOR.
  NOW IF YOU GLIMPSE THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME IT'S THE INTERIOR COLOR.  
YOU CAN  APPLY FUTURE FLOOR WAX TO ENHANCE CLARITY.  TINTING CAN BE DONE WITH ACRYLIC TRANSPARENT HOBBY PAINT.
PIECE OF CAKE!
THE CLEAR PART CAN BE TINTED WITH TRANSPARENT ACRYLIC HOBBY PAINT.
email me
THIS TROJAN'S CANOPY HAS BEEN TINTED GREEN. THE BOTTOM OF THE CLEAR PART WAS PAINTED LIGHT GRAY BEFORE INSTALLATION, GIVING THE MODEL A GRAY FLOOR.
This page was last updated on: December 8, 2016
AIRALEX
ALEX'S 1/144 SCALE MODEL COLLECTION
HOME PAGE
THE CLEAR PART CAN BE TINTED WITH TRANSPARENT ACRYLIC HOBBY PAINT.
THIS TROJAN'S CANOPY HAS BEEN TINTED GREEN.
THE CLEAR PART INSTALLATION IS WORTH THE EFFORT ON BUBBLETOP CANOPIES.
THE CLEAR PART GIVES THE MODEL ITS DISTICTIVE LOOK.
SOME HELP WITH THE CLEAR PARTS.
BUILD A MORE ACCURATE MODEL
STEP BY STEP CANOPY SCHOOL.
CANOPY SECTION MASTERS FROM THE VARIOUS MODELS
CLEAR CASTINGS OF THOSE SECTIONS
VAC-FORMED CANOPIES
YOU CAN ALSO USE OUR CLEAR CANOPY INSERT AS A MOLD MASTER FOR A VAC-FORMED CANOPY
CANOPY AREA
FUSELAGE AREA
CANOPY AREA
FUSELAGE AREA
FUSELAGE AREA
CANOPY AREA
IF YOU TAKE OUT TOO MUCH OF THE FUSELAGE, FILL IN WITH SHEET STYRENE AND SAND TO SHAPE
/
CANOPY AREA
/
FUSELAGE AREA-
CANOPY AREA
/
FUSELAGE AREA-
IF YOU TAKE OUT TOO MUCH OF THE FUSELAGE, FILL IN WITH SHEET STYRENEAND SAND TO SHAPE
/
SOME ILLUSTRATIONS
I HOPE THESE HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE LESSON! 
ALEX'S CANOPY SCHOOL
THIS IS MY MATTELL VACU-FORM MACHINE. IT IS JUST THE GREATEST TOY EVER MADE. IF YOU EVER SEE ONE IN A YARD SALE OR ON EBAY YOU SHOULD GRAB IT. IT IS PERFECT FOR MAKING CANOPIES FOR YOUR MODELS. THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE, SO THEY ARE GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND.
THESE ARE THE PLASTIC SHEETS TO USE WITH THE VACU-FORM. THESE ARE ALSO GETTING HARD TO FIND, BUT YOU CAN ORDER THEM AT A REASONABLE PRICE FROM: 

MIKE DAMMEN
83552 270TH STREET
HOLLANDALE, MN 56045
EMAIL:
weirdtornadoe@yahoo.com