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7/9 tip up canopy frame advice needed

dwranda

Well Known Member
Trying to fit the forward canopy frame. To those who have went before me does this look normal? I have a pretty good gap along the top where it meets the front skin, but on the sides they don't match up very well. Will this change after it's riveted? I believe the frame is in a good spot on the sides but the skin bows out so much it's hard to tell exactly. The canopy skin is also a little high over one of the hinges. Attaching 2 pics of the top and one of the side. Thanks for any input and advice!!
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A couple of thoughts:

1) That gap looks awfully tight, be sure to allow for paint buildup.

2) Make sure you have the lift struts installed before determining final gap, they will tend to push the canopy forward a bit.

3) It is common to shim the forward turtle deck to get it level with the canopy.

The canopy is a challenge, at some point we just say "that's good enough". :)
 
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Look at your car doors and ask yourself "How tight does the gap have to be?" Evenness counts more for the look than tightness. Also, in your third photo it looks like the side of the top deck skin is not down tight to the side skins (could be an optical illusion due to the purple ink lines and shadow). Last point: You can 'break' the canopy skin slightly at the sides to bring it in closer to the fuselage sides, which should improve matters.
 
Look at your car doors and ask yourself "How tight does the gap have to be?" Evenness counts more for the look than tightness. Also, in your third photo it looks like the side of the top deck skin is not down tight to the side skins (could be an optical illusion due to the purple ink lines and shadow). Last point: You can 'break' the canopy skin slightly at the sides to bring it in closer to the fuselage sides, which should improve matters.

Yeah the top canopy skin is definitely not tight to the side skins. The skin wants to flare out right there. The frame itself looks like it is sitting in a good spot though.
 
canopy fit

I'm almost done, and still everytime I put the canopy on it fits different. I haven't riveted the final top skin on yet and I think this moves a little. My plan is to fix gaps with fiberglass and weather stripping if needed, after everything is finally riveted. Close is good enough for now.
 
My canopy is almost done, but it took a lot of work to get it done

Some suggestions/experiences:

1) Check out what I found out about the front skin / deck. You need to get the gap right, and appropriately flat. This makes the the riveting of the splice plate on the front of the two frame halves critical:

www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1145981&postcount=2

2) Some of us added canopy stops/positioners to keep the fore/aft canopy location from moving once the struts are installed.

www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1155078&postcount=6

Go slow with this one; it sure can be challenging at times!
 
Look at this thread.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=146184&highlight=tipper

I found no use for the canopy stops. Just dont install the struts until EVERYTHING is riveted and plexiglass installed.
A couple of thoughts:

3) It is common to shim the forward turtle deck to get it level with the canopy.

The canopy is a challenge,

Keep #3 in mind, while there are several issues and solutions to fitting, in the end, this is one is saved for last. It may require replacement of the forward skin, it did for me, but the fit was quite good afterwards.

It is a challenge indeed!!
 
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Thanks everyone! I have got it about as good as I can so I have started drilling. P.S. Bill, going to send you a PM about your plenums.
 
Look at this thread.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=146184&highlight=tipper


Keep #3 in mind, while there are several issues and solutions to fitting, in the end, this is one is saved for last. It may require replacement of the forward skin, it did for me, but the fit was quite good afterwards.

It is a challenge indeed!!

I am at this point now: I have riveted the canopy frame, cut and fit the plex but not fiberglassed yet. By making some might slight bends to the riveted canopy from I have a good fit with no airscoops with the forward deck cleco'ed on. The problem is almost every single builder log I have looked says as soon as the forward deck is riveted on they loose the good fit. I would think the fit of the forward skin is much tighter and gets sucked down once it is riveted leading to the air scoop effect with the canopy skin.

I was thinking about riveting the forward skin first and then to make some fine final bends to canopy assembly to get the right fit before I fiber-glassed the plex. Anyone tired this method?

I went through several frames to get to this point. One think I can tell you is that no two frames are welded the same and have the same fit. User manipulation is required along the fluting.
 
A lot of folks are extending or fiberglassing the canapy side skins so they fit over the longerons it keeps the air out and makes it more rain proof

I took two blanks of sheet alu and matched drilled my side shirts and
Overlapped the fuselage side by about an 1/8

I have seen other Tippers where they have fiberglassed the canopy side a good 1/4 inch below the longeron on the side. Which made a very tight fit
 
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A lot of folks are extending or fiberglassing the canapy side skins so they fit over the longerons it keeps the air out and makes it more rain proof

I took two blanks of sheet alu and matched drilled my side shirts and
Overlapped the fuselage side by about an 1/8

I did this on my canopy but went about .75 inch to match the foreskin and the back skin so the line is the same. It looks good but was tricky to get it to fit well. I had to readjust once I got the struts mounted again. I had to replace the foreskin and canopy front skirt because I opened the canopy once with clecos still in the foreskin. That was not a good day.
 
After hearing stories about canopy fitment problems with unriveted forward skin, I found some little flat head metric screws & nuts that fit the -3 rivet holes. I screwed down the line next to the canopy & clecoed the rest. That allowed me to pull the skin down a little tighter, and still swing the canopy.
 
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