Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 25, Canopy Fitting

I was lucky, I got a good canopy on the first try.

Clear, sharp with no bubbles.

The excess was trimmed off and the canopy sanded with 220 grit wrapped around a body tube. First around a BT-50, then around a BT-55.

Initial forming over a smaller tube cuts a sharper arc. Ideally you want to sand in a straight line, up and down. There can be some wiggle. You can get a better fit starting with a smaller diameter tube.

The front and back will sand easily and fit before the sides. Keep sanding until the sides contact the tube. 

Watch for the roll-around "stringers". These can be removed with light passes of 400 grit. Sand only the sides, don't scratch the clear surfaces.

Here's a near fit of the canopy. Note the sides haven't touched the tube yet. That means more sanding.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 24, Canopy Carving

On the left - 

The front window line is penciled in. 

On the right - 

That angled taper is cut and sanded.

The top to the rear is rounded.

Side windows are marked.

The front windows are left flat.

The bubble rear canopy is rounded tapering down to the back.

The wooden form is taller than it needs to be. The height will be lower after sanding to fit the BT-55 tube.

For an easier release of the clear vacu-form plastic - 

The entire canopy gets a coat of medium CA glue and is allowed to dry.

This hardens the wood. Sand smooth with 400 grit.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 23, Canopy Carving

Well, I'm cheap! I refuse to pay too much for a canopy when I can make it myself. It may not be an exact copy, but close enough for me.

I've carved a few canopies before, more instructions are found in my article for the Apogee Peak Of Flight Newsletter: CLICK HERE

I went to Michael's Crafts and bought a small bag of basswood blocks. The price was $10.00. I pulled up the Michael's website and found a 30% off digital coupon. That brought it down to $7.00.

The blocks were too big. Using a glue stick, a canopy print was stuck onto the block. Pencil border lines were drawn.

The block was held in my workmate vise and cut with a handsaw. I don't own any power equipment.

With a new #11 blade in my X-Acto knife, rough forming was done making small chip cuts.

Block sanding with 220 grit cleaned up the sides.

Note the edge is wider than the decal print. The clear vacu-form canopy should probably be just outside the decal edges underneath.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 22, Canopy Size? Oooops!

I redrew the decals using the online PDF for reference.

Patreon members - 

Don't request these yet. I may have some resizing and tweaking to do. 

I thought it was funny that the back of the cockpit decal had a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.

I assumed Estes used the old Centuri Fighter Jets clear canopy. Those kits were ST-10 or about 1" in diameter. The Strikefighter is a larger diameter BT-55 at 1.325" diameter.

The Strikefighter canopy is larger. I won't be able to use the small canopy I have.

Checking the forums, the Strikefighter kit used a canopy similar to the the Guillows P-51 Mustang. To see it, CLICK HERE. 

Now I've got some thinking to do. Do I order a Guillows canopy for $10.00 plus $5.00 shipping?

Morerockets.com has a Strikefighter replacement canopy for $5.99 plus $12.99!!! shipping.

Or - do I carve a larger canopy and use it in my vacu-form machine?

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 21, Details Glued In

The gun and radar pod assemblies were a tight fit in the BT-5 tube. I used a tapered dowel to roll down the inside burr that was in the way.

The tight fit made me think twice about sliding the assemblies into glue in the tube.

I slid them in, and aligned them dry.

A glue fillet was applied around the rear centering ring using a dowel. 

Inset the glued dowel in the back and roll the end around the ring tube joint.

Here's where we are - the canopy and decals are next!

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 20, Paint!

The white paint on the Mega Mosquito crazed!

I didn't follow my own rules - paint on plastic dries slower than paint on balsa and tubes!

Wait 48 hours for tubes and balsa,

Wait 96 hours (4 days) to re-coat plastic nose cones.

The Strikefighter nose cone had a longer dry time and turned out smooth and glossy.

The gun and radar pods were painter silver.

Note the sides of the rear centering rings were masked and remain white for better adhesion.

The Mega Mosquito nose cone was sanded and re-shot with filler/primer.

After drying, this was sanded with 400 grit.

Wait 4 days, shoot again with a white undercoat.

The Strikefighter body was spray painted with white. It was difficult to get a overall gloss "wet" final coat. Too many nooks and crannies.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 19, Making The Canopy Part B

Before sanding, the ink line is still there along the rough edge.

TIP: Wrap 220 grit sandpaper around a tube one size smaller than what it will be glued onto. The finished model is BT-55 based, so initially sand the canopy edges on a BT-50. 

Why go with a smaller diameter tube? There may be some wobble making a wider curve than you will want. Sand up and down in a straight line.

As the edge is sanded, the remaining inked edge gets thinner. Some of the lip may flex and separate.

Sand a bit, check the edge and sand some more.

When the ink and thin edges break off,

Switch to 400 grit wrapped around the BT-55 tube - See the picture at the right.

Here's the dry fitted canopy on the BT-55 tube.

Don't glue in place yet - 

I'll have some specific tips about how to adhere the canopy to the tube.