flitzerpilot
Well-Known Member
The canopy was especially made to my mock-up of a scaled Yak canopy by a real artist in metal forming. The hood slid on guides with small wheels running in a U section and the entire canopy and thin overlapping section hinged to starboard for ease of access. The aeroplane handled beautifully in the air and on the ground, capable of a very small turning circle with no ground looping tendency with the improved ground angle and reduced gear rake. I personally never noticed any problems approaching the stall and recovery was fast.
After my forced landing the aeroplane was fully restored but the Group decided to sell it. Sadly the inspector who was advising the purchaser told him to revert to the standard undercarriage track (but still using the longer legs) and to scrap the canopy, reverting to an open cockpit and repainting it in a civilian colours, despite having CAA permission to retain the Russian military scheme.
I tried to re-acquire the canopy some time later for a potentially more accurate Yak replica to no avail.
After my forced landing the aeroplane was fully restored but the Group decided to sell it. Sadly the inspector who was advising the purchaser told him to revert to the standard undercarriage track (but still using the longer legs) and to scrap the canopy, reverting to an open cockpit and repainting it in a civilian colours, despite having CAA permission to retain the Russian military scheme.
I tried to re-acquire the canopy some time later for a potentially more accurate Yak replica to no avail.