When to mount the canopy

[copcheck]

I noticed that many of you mount your canopy, mask it, then paint the plane.

With the 1/72 kits I've been building I've been saving that for the very end and at least until I put my final top coat down.

Are there advantages to putting the canopy on and working around it?

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Wurger]

To be honest it's a personal matter when you decide to do that. Even if it's of 1/72 scale. However I attach a cockpit conopy before running farther job. Why.....? First of all, fitting .It is very important to have a cockpit conopy fitted to a fuselage because all imperfections are clearly visible when a paint is applied. That's why applying some of a putty might be needed for that. If so, sanding and polishing are necessary as well. It allows to avoid troubles with fitting and re-painting when a model is about to be finished. The second point.... a paint can act like a protection from a good glue joint. As a result a conopy can be unstuck soon. Also a glue can damage a paint layer, especially if it is sloshed around accidentally. The next advantage is that the finished cockpit interior is closed and protected from dust and paints used for farther airbrushing.

 

[mikewint]

Wurger, good points. I'm a put-it-on-last type. Further I often do not glue the canopy in place, especially if the interior is nicely detailed. I just place the canopy in place, that way I can remove it to show detail. In several other models, I glued the canopy open, again to reveal the cockpit interior detail

 

[Wurger]

Thank you Mike. You are right as well. When a cockpit is decided to be open in order to show interior details, the way works nice as well. Also ,in the case we can follow the way a real plane was built. For instance Fw190 and P-51D had fixed front windshields and slided back hoods. So it is good to put on models these of models. Usually these parts of cockpit conopies were fixed without any gaps between them and a fuselage. Those movable parts of conopies can be painted separately and attach later. The same thing is when there are windshields , "rear windows" ( eg. P-51B/C, P-40B/C/E, etc.. ) and central caps. These central parts of conopies can be put on later too.

 

[copcheck]

I may give that a shot and see if I can mask one and paint over it.

Thank you both for your input.

 

[Florence]

Cannot add much to the previous knoledgable comments. Just mask the bugger before you attatch it. Easier to handle that way.

David.

 

[Wurger]

This is a good point as well, David.

 

[Wayne Little]

I usually do canopies last, keep 'em out of harms way till I need them, as I mostly have them in the open position.

however, I always check the fit of the canopy or its sections, in the early days of construction to see how well they fit so I know how to deal with them later, sometimes they need attention early when the fit is not good, so you gotta go with the flow to get the best result.....each model presents it's own challenge to be dealt with.