Today I installed the finished canopy frame onto the fuselage and checked all the clearances. I was relieved, but not surprised, to see that the frame fit very well and had not discernible twist. The only real issue is the gap between the cockpit rail and the bottom of the canopy rail. For some reason the canopy rail is not completely flat, and the gap along the rail is not uniform. At either end it’s about 1/16 and in the middle it’s 1/8, and it’s the same on each side of the canopy.
It’s annoying because the skin will also be bowed and have the same gap when the canopy is closed. I pinged Vans, but there’s not much I can do at this point. I may try to make a new skin for each side to ensure the gap is uniform, but I’ll hold off until I’m completely done with the canopy.
