CaptainStabby Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Heya folks, anyone know a place to sort Valk bitz, or a way to approximate the canopy? I picked up a Valk on the cheap but it's sadly missing the canopy. Havent had much luck poking around ebay for bitz. :/ Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/323940-replacing-a-valkyrie-cockpitcanopy/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major_Gilbear Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 I take it the *whole* canopy is missing - both the frame and the glass? If so, I'd make a new one from plasticard, using struts and studs to (1) emulate the original design, and (2) hide the joints. Obviously it won't be clear (and you'll have to paint the windows), but it should be straightforward enough. If you're really nifty though, you can get clear plasticard - although most glues other than white PVA will cause it to fog, so care will be needed to avoid this. Getting spares from bits-sellers or ebay seems to be a dead-end from what I can see. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/323940-replacing-a-valkyrie-cockpitcanopy/#findComment-4442672 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imren Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 consider yourself lucky! The Valkyrie canopy has flat straight surfaces and chunky frames. So way easier to build yourself Use a Valkyrie that already have its canopy and measure the frame dimensions, make a drawing and note down the measured lengths of the frame pieces. If you don't have access to the Valkyrie model with canopy. Then use the cockpit hull piece and images of the canopy and estimate and decide the canopy frame dimensions and make the same drawing you would do if you had a canopy to "copy". You'll need: 0.5 mm plasticard (polystyrene) Polystyrene cement (a.k.a. plastic glue) Blister/clam pack clear plastic sheet (or purchase clear polystyrene sheet) Hobby essentials (knife with fresh blade, cutting mat, steel rule etc) Either special canopy glue or 2-component epoxy (don't use superglue, it will fog the clear plastic and regular polystyrene plastic cement will not work with the blister pack plastic) Blue tac 0.05 mm fine liner pen Rough procedure: Start off by cutting straight strips of regular plasticard using the steel ruler. Make the strip width as either the measured width from a Valkyrie canopy or from your estimation. I guess they should be around 1.5-2 mm wide Since you will have non-90-deg angles in the final canopy frame build, cut the strips in lengths longer than the final length as per your drawing, this will accommodate the final cut points taking the angles into consideration. Using blue tac as adhesive, "assemble the frame strips onto your Valkyrie cockpit hull, take care to adjust the frame "joints" so that the front and top "glass windows" are symmetrical. When happy with the joint positioning, mark the cutpoints on each frame strip with the fine liner pen and note down on your drawing the new updated distances. Cut the frame strips at the fine liner pen marks and assemble the canopy frame with plastic cement (works fine since plastic sheet is made of polystyrene). Test fit the canopy frame onto the Valkyrie cockpit hull, shave off or file so that it fits snugly. Cut the window glasses out of the blister pack clear sheet as per the dimensions in your drawing. Test fit the window glasses from the inside of the canopy frame. Cut so that they fit snugly. When happy with the fit, then glue the glasses from the inside of the canopy frame using either canopy glue or epoxy. BEWARE! Use the very sparingly, small tiny amounts covering the glass window edges that goes against the frame, otherwise it will mess up the window area and look bad. When glass sheets dried, glue canopy frame onto the hull, for this you can use plastic cement since it is just frame that touches the hull. That's it! The advantage here is that you can use the cut off strips for another canopy fail to fit snugly, then just redo it. You'll have an abundance of strips from a sheet of plastic. To increase the authenticity you can dab small drops of PVA in the middle line on each canopy frame piece to make it look like rivets. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/323940-replacing-a-valkyrie-cockpitcanopy/#findComment-4442737 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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