Weathering canopies question

[Navcom]

Most framed canopies on older aircraft do not have perfect "Klear" polished shine. Having flown some of these aircraft, I can tell you first hand that most are hazed and full of imperfections due to age and flying dust/dirt/sand, etc.

Does anyone have a method for weathering these older canopies? I literally thought about hitting them with a light sand blast but thought better of it.

Also, do most paint the inside of the canopy rails along with the outside for an added touch of realism?

And finally, what glue do you personally use on clear parts? (I think I asked this once before but can't remember...gray moment!)

[chief5437]

I don't usually weather canopies as I'm usually building a plane that is in service so would still have a well looked after canopy. I did do a little on my Arado sea plane, as I thought it more likely to get water marks when living on a battleship?!

I generally paint the outside of the frame in the interior colour, then the exterior colour on top. If the canopy is big enough I may be tempted to actually paint inside. But it would have to be a BIG canopy, lol!

As for glue, Krystal Klear does it for me. Although if it's a good fit, I've been trying Gary's idea of using Pledge. It works really well so far.

[Switcher]

Most framed canopies on older aircraft do not have perfect "Klear" polished shine. Having flown some of these aircraft, I can tell you first hand that most are hazed and full of imperfections due to age and flying dust/dirt/sand, etc.

Does anyone have a method for weathering these older canopies? I literally thought about hitting them with a light sand blast but thought better of it.

Also, do most paint the inside of the canopy rails along with the outside for an added touch of realism?

And finally, what glue do you personally use on clear parts? (I think I asked this once before but can't remember...gray moment!)

I hear you and support your comment/question.

I hear a lot about artistic license and totally support the argument. OTOH a canopy that has been dipped in future attached to an aircraft that has been severely weathered, or even lightly weathered for that matter seems out of place. It sticks out like a sore thumb. The artist is free to do what they want with their models, but IMHO do one or the other. I am not a rivet counter but firmly believe one should stick to a period in the object's life e.g a wheathered aircraft or a pristene aircraft, something in between is often hard to pull off with realism. e.g one could argue that the canopy was just replaced, completly plausible, but it doesn't take away the fact that the object looks goofy (as you stated).

A light sand blast might be too heavy, but a soda blast (baking soda) should be just waht the Dr ordered. I have a sand blast AB on the way which I should receive this week, not for AC perse (as I don't build AC) ordered for a different reason than soda blasting caniopies, which I intend on doing a review and demo of. It uses aluminium pellets (SB media) I intend to use baking soda. For all I know this device could be a piece of crap, but one will nener know until one tries. I have a mission in mind for this piece of kit and if it does what I want it to do, it will take my modelling to a different level.

Back on the artistic licenses before closing. I have seen canopies which reflect what you have stated here on finished models. These subjects were whirly birds. Nonetheless the AC was weathered, and dust covered. The windscreen was only clear where the wipers stroked. That being said, soome were good some were excellent, and some were bad. The canopies that fell in the excellent categories were those that followed the wipers stroke and arc, clearly evident with only a glance. IMMHO that was a piece of art, the artist conveyed what he expressed without having to be there to tell the story, the object told the story.

Soda blast might be a little too agressive I do not know, you can reduce the agressiveness with AP or shooting at greater distances. OTOH Tamiya buffing compounds should be able to do the job as well omiting the "polishing stages", the grit being fine enough to remove the sheen without leaving scratch marks left by anything else but buffing compounds. I hope this helps I don't know because I am nothing more than a tool :~