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Trumpeter A-4M Canopy in the open position


Greg W

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Hello friends. I just started the Trumpeter A-4M kit and discovered that Trumpeter has not provided any parts to position the canopy in the open position. I would like to see some pictures of how some of you have scratched parts to accomplish this, while I work on other areas of the kit.

 

Brand new to LSP, so I haven't yet sorted out how to post pictures but love this site!

 

Thanks, Greg

Edited by GDW
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Ok. I've read through several amazing A-4 builds here that have addressed correcting many aspects of the kit and provided inspiration for my current project. Funny that this one thing has been mentioned but not photographed (unless it has and I've just missed it). When I get to that part of the build, I'll post my own shots of how I did it. There is a bulkhead(?) at the rear of the opening clamshell that obscures the view of the mechanical bits that connect and rotate the canopy. I have to dig into my reference more deeply to see if anything I have, shows what it looks like. Maybe it's a moot point simply because everything is hidden anyway.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Looking through the stuff I have on the A-4, the only pictures I've found of the canopy hinge mechanism, are in Bert Kinsey's Detail and Scale, Volume 32. Two pictures, one on page 26 and one on page 27, of an A-4F with the canopy removed showing the area behind the ejection seat where the hinge mechanism is, completely revealed. Same as the A-4M?

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Thanks for the fantastic links and suggestions! I looked at all of them and learned a lot.

 

What I'm doing is converting Trumps A-4M to a Brazilian AF-1. Because I'm using the Avionix cockpit, things aren't so straight forward. It's a great looking set but needs a lot of finagaling to install which means, to get things where I wanted them alignment wise, I had to carve out the moulded in canopy hinge detail on the resin set and make my own to better position it where it looked right to me (based on the photos in Detail and Scale Vol. 32).

 

So this is where this is all going. How to mount the canopy? I've chosen to use a piece of sturdy photoetch fret to connect the canopy to the fuselage. There is a bulkhead towards the rear of the canopy that will hide the photoetch piece. This will be strong and will allow me to bend it to the correct position.

 

As soon as I figure out how to upload photos, I will post them.

Edited by GDW
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  • 2 weeks later...

Before I attach the canopy, I need to detail the inside. Any tips or techniques for making a bulkhead would be great. I just glued up some strips in order to make an inside "contour guage" kind of thing but looking at it while the glue dries, I'm not so sure there isn't a better way...

 

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Edited by GDW
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Well, here is how I went about it. The plastic strips gave me a good rough indication of the outline of the bulkhead. I marked the top, outside corners of the strips and connected the dots - worked pretty good. I have a feeling there are better ways to do this kind of thing but this was the only way that I could conjure up. I've got my bulkhead now so that's good. Greg out...

 

 

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Edited by GDW
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Got the canopy mounted. I need to tweak it just a little but my approach is working. To all of you who have built the Trumpeter A-4, I would enjoy seeing how you attached the canopy on your kit. Maybe I can talk some of you into posting pictures here?

 

Man, I love this site! I have learned so much reading through the build threads and each one inspires me to build that particular aircraft. The community is fantastic too, really helpful and supportive. I'm glad I stumbled across LSP.

 

Here's the latest,

 

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The plastic rod was temporarily glued to the fuselage just to see how things were coming together and play with the angle of the opened canopy. The finished product will be more refined!

 

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Edited by GDW
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  • 3 months later...

Does anyone out there know of a true mirror product which one can use to make rear view mirrors on a canopy frame? I really don't like the look of painting mirrors silver on a model.

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