To make the canopy, essential to do now as this 'controls' the whole build, a 'male' master mould first has to be made. The first step is to draw the outline of the plan and side elevations onto a block of balsa, then cut this out and shape it.
PICS 1 and 2. The profile drawn onto the balsa block, traced from the scale plans.
PIC 3. The raw 'blank' after cutting from the block.
This will now be sanded to shape, checking continuously against the scale plans, to achieve the desired shape. The 'male' mould needs to be slightly less in its all round dimensions, to allow for the thickness of the clear plastic sheet which will be used for the moulding itself, and any thinning of this sheet, due to stretch when heat-moulding, has to be taken into account.
Once the required shape is 'spot on', the 'male' mould will be sealed with a number of coats of polyurethane clear gloss varnish mixed with talcum powder. A final coat of clear gloss will then be applied, and, when fully hardened, this will be highly polished.
This is the part that can often go wrong, as it's easy to make a cut too deep, or sand-off too much, so I won't be surprised if I have to start all over again !
When this stage is complete, I'll then make the 'female' mould, and mould the canopy, and post explanatory pics at that time - I hope !
Thanks again for your interest, more in due course.