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In need of a canopy for the Academy CH-53 e


Matt3502

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Hello fellow modelers!

I am in the middle of a build of the Academy Ch-53 E (kit 12209) I rode in these bad boys when I was a USMC Lieutenant about 30 years ago. Somehow, I managed to spill something on the canopy (part E1) and now the canopy is toast. Not sure what it was, but my utility sink is right next my modeling bench. I contacted MRC and they no longer have a spare parts stash as they sold the franchise. I have reached to to Academy in Korea as well. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can get this part? Without it this build is headed to the bone yard.

Thanks!

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How badly is the original damaged?  You could try sanding and polishing it back to clarity, or, at least you could use it as a mold for a stretch- or vacuum-formed replacement.

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Hi Matt! The beauty of "stretch forming" is you don't really need any "equipment" (like you do for vacuforming).

The process is (essentially) that you heat  a sheet of clear plastic and then physically "pull" it down and/or push it over the kit part. It is, of course just a little bit more involved than that, but the key is if you have a candle, some clear sheet, and some cardboard, you can do this!

First, sand and polish the kit canopy to get rid of any surface imperfections caused by whatever got on it. It doesn't need to be clear, but it needs to be SMOOTH!

Next, you want to get a piece of stiff cardboard that is about 6"-8" larger in both width and height than the size of your canopy (8"x10" is a good size to work with). Next, cut a hole in the center in the shape of your canopy dimensions, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT LARGER THAN THE CANOPY (be sure to have about 1/8" clearance on all sides if you set the canopy inside the hole).

Next, you want to make a "stand" for your canopy. Depending on its thickness and flex, you may need to "stiffen" it to withstand being "smashed over". You need to raise the canopy from the surface at least 6"-8" so you have room to "pull down" over it. You also need to be sure that whatever method you use to do this makes the canopy sturdy, stable, and generally unmovable while you do the work.

Next, cut your clear sheet to fit onto your cardboard. You can attach it with tape on the edges, push pins, staples; or whatever method is convenient to you and firmly attaches the clear sheet to the cardboard. BE SURE SOME OF THE ATTACHMENT POINTS ARE CLOSE TO THE "CANOPY HOLE" IN THE CENTER. This is so that the entire sheet doesn't sag away when heated, just the area over the hole in the center.

You're now set to try to make a new canopy.

1) Put on some sort of hand protection, preferably heavy garden gloves. You MAY need to actually manipulate the heated plastic a bit around the kit canopy to get a TIGHT fit, and thus you need to be able to use your fingers; so an oven mitt is too cumbersome. Set your raised/reinforced kit canopy nearby to whatever you're going to use to heat your plastic, so you can move from one to the other within a few seconds.

2) Start heating the plastic,using a candle or a small stove burner set on high. Do this with the ATTACHMENT POINTS/DEVICES facing DOWNWARD. This is so when you push down on the heated plastic, you're not "pulling up" on whatever you used to fasten the plastic to the cardboard. Also, THIS is why you use a LARGE  piece of cardboard....to put space between your fingers on the edges of the cardboard and the heat source.

3) Watch the clear sheet carefully. Move it around a little so that ALL of the plastic in the open hole area is heated as evenly as you can. You should first see a difference in the appearance of the "clarity"...it may start to look a little "wavy" or distorted (this is normal). When you see this, AND it begins to sag about 1/8" to 1/4", then quickly move it over to your kit canopy and push it down over it, being sure you go completely THROUGH the "hole" and the heated plastic is below the kit canopy.

4) You may VERY QUICKLY need to "pinch" the plastic around UNDER the kit canopy in order to get it pulled down tight around ALL of the edges and to properly form the new canopy exactly like the kit one. The plastic will be hot which is why I recommend gloves!

5) If done properly, your kit canopy mold will now be trapped inside your newly molded clear canopy. You'll have to cut it out. Be sure to use a NEW knife blade when doing this, take your time, and just trim to the edge of the kit canopy, and you should have a nearly exact duplicate that can be used.

If you fail...just repeat the process, make adjustments to avoid whatever caused the failure, and try again. Short of getting a vac machine, this is the simplest way to make yourself a new clear part using the ruined kit part!

Here a pic of the stuff I used to make a new canopy for my C-119...the exception being I had to make my "mold" using Plaster of Paris as the kit part was too deformed, and I used a thin sheet of wood in place of cardboard; and also a pic of the new canopy. Hopefully, it will add some clarity to the verbiage above. Hope this helps!

848205151_canopypull.thumb.JPG.3d674635a6b4e4b2558e3d076d5458bf.JPG

929938358_canopymasking.thumb.JPG.6e56e6fcdff9e348c3d8f76296a74190.JPG

Cheers!

 

Gil

Edited by ghodges
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Thanx for posting this, Gil! Am working an excruciatingly long-term canopy-replacement-quest for a 1/72 Anigrand C-124. It's a very nice resin kit -and expensive. But their canopy was unusable-bad. Your last pic of the tape/masking technique answers a question that I wasn't even smart enough to ask, regarding a vac replacement canopy. Elegant solution, there!

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