Attaching canopies

I'm with the crowd that masks off the model and installs them last. It's just the way I've always done it.

Steve

Steve's remark, however, there may be times when it is best to go with your way. A good example would be masking the clear parts of a P-61 Black Widow. In this case, I would mask the parts off of the aircraft and then attach before painting. It really depends on the aircraft.

Mike M

I mask all the clear parts and attach the windshield and any other fixed glass to the model. That way I can smooth over any joins. The canopy or moving part is tacked into place with maskol and removed after painting, decaling, weathering and final clear coats are completed.

cheers

Mike

I always paint and install canopies as the very last thing. I don't worry about painting them when I do the rest of the fuselage even though it is probably better to do it that way. I just hate doing canopies for some reason and always put them off as long as I can.

Also, I typically install canopies in an open position so there are no worries about filling around them. Windscreens, on the other hand, do occasionally have gaps but I fill those with white glue and touch up the paint when the glue cures.

Thanks all for the responses. I like to use putty to blend the windscreen with the forward fuselage and also to fill gaps. I have had excellent results, however that BMF is a bear to remove without fear of damging the canopy. Do you all use BMF or something else? I love Parafilm-M, but I'm not sure how it would hold up if, say; Squadron Putty came in contact with it. Especially if I have to do some light sanding.

I've used BMF masks for a while now, and would be hard pressed to go back to anything else.
Yes they can be a mongrel to remove, but I use a toothpick that has the tip dipped in CA and then filed to a point.
It is strong enough to get under the foil and lift it, but has enough 'flex' not to scratch the canopy.
I haven't found any other mask that has given me crisper frame lines than BMF.

I also paint all the canopy sections off the model, and attach them last, even the wind sheild, but I always dry fit the wind sheild to perfection so all it takes is a drop of CA to lock it in place, with little to no seam.