Skygate Hawk Manual Operating Canopy Instructions

Please locate all the associated parts prior to beginning the assembly process. Additional items needed for construction are located in the list below. Since the Hawk is the preeminent scale aircraft at this time, we have condensed the manual accordingly as most building this airframe should have mastered basic skills in construction of such a sophisticated and expensive aircraft. If you are not sure of you abilities, seek help from a qualified builder before beginning this modification. The Hawk canopy is massive and can be torn from the aircraft in flight causing the loss of the aircraft if strict building principles are not followed.

Dremel rotary tool with the following bits, cut off wheel, spiral cutting bit, and small grinding bit.

1/8" square needle file

drill with 5/64" bit, 3/32" bit, 1/8" bit

Aeropoxy (Hysol epoxy)

Vaseline (petroleum jelly)

80 grit sandpaper

Instruction sequence:

Place the canopy section onto the fuselage and carefully mark the 4 hinge locations (small 1/4" wide scribe marks on the outside of the canopy) onto the fuse. Be sure to mark both sides of the hinge locations onto the fuse. These marks will serve as the guides for cutting the square cutouts that the hinge pivots fit into.

4 hinge locations show at left.

Once the hinge locations have been marked onto the fuse, remove the canopy and carefully mark the location of each square hinge pivot cutout. Carefully cut off the forward canopy retaining pins from the canopy, as they will not be required for the operating canopy unit. Fill the brass tubes in the forward fuse section that the pins once fit into and smooth until the Aeropoxy is flush the front canopy frame. Any excess can be sanded off later after the Aeropoxy cures.

2 center cutouts shown here.

Close up of square cutout shown at left. Be sure the cutout allows the hinge pivot to sit right on the outer edge of the fuse as shown in the next photo. Use the 1/8" square needle file to square off the holes edges.

Hinge pivot shown with the outside edge in alignment with outer edge of fuse.

Hinges fitted. Do not glue them in place yet.

Insert rod thru all 4 hinge pivot to prepare for gluing.

Carefully sand the inner fuse under each hinge where the hinge will contact the fuse. Use 80 grit sandpaper being careful NOT to sand thru the inner fuse glass.

Close up of proper hinge gluing. Be sure to make a fillet using the Aeropoxy around each hinge pivot leg as shown here. Once all 4 hinges have been glued, allow the epoxy to cure overnight.

Remove the pivot rod and re-assemble the rod using the 4 female hinge parts provided. Be sure the curved parts of the female pieces faces down and to the inside of the fuse as shown at left. Apply a small amount of Vaseline to the inside edges of each hinge unit where the pivot and female sections touch. This will prevent any stray epoxy from locking the hinges together after gluing. Using the dremel tool, grind the inside under surface of the canopy where each of the female pieces shown here will make contact. Wipe each location with solvent to remove any excess shavings from the inner surface of the canopy. Carefully fit the canopy over the top of hinges and be sure the canopy lines up flush with the outside of the lower fuse.

When the retaining pin for the hinges is re-inserted, it may be necessary to grove the canopy frame as shown in photo below to provide clearance for the pin to allow the canopy to fit flush to the lower fuse section. The clearances are very tight between the canopy and the fuse.

Use pieces of 1/32" thick material as shim stock as shown at left to raise the canopy above the fuse flange to provide clearance for the canopy to swing open. Carefully tack the canopy female hinges (temporary) to the canopy surface using CA and Kicker. Once the parts are tacked in place, remove the shims and test the canopy for operation. Be sure the outer edge of the canopy is in alignment with the lower fuse as well. The canopy should swing open and shut without any binding. Once satisfied as to the fit of the canopy, glue each of the female hinges parts to the inside of the canopy frame.

Allow the epoxy the cure completely before moving the canopy or fuse. Once the epoxy has cured, remove the retaining pin from the hinges and remove the canopy from the fuse. Locate the 1/8" X 1/2" carbon fiber rod and rough sand the entire rod using 80 grit sandpaper. Be sure there are no shinny spots remaining after sanding. Hold the carbon rod up to the bottom of the canopy flange where the hinges are installed. Cut the carbon rod to length to match the length of the inside dimension of the canopy frame. Once cut to length, each hinge location must be notched out of the carbon rod to allow it to fit into the canopy frame. The rod will fit between the hinges and the canopy frame. See photo below for carbon rod gluing.

Carbon rod shown at left imbedded with epoxy between the canopy frame and female hinge piece. Notice the notch out of the carbon rod to allow it to fit around the female hinge piece. The carbon rod should fit into the canopy frame without distorting the frame what so ever. Tack the rod in place using CA. and re-install the canopy onto the fuse using the retaining pin. Once satisfied as to the final fit, remove the canopy once again and Aeropoxy the rod in place. It's a good idea to re-install the canopy back onto the fuse while the epoxy cures to be sure no distortion occurs while the glue cures. Be sure the glue doesn't contact the fuse flange however...

Once the carbon rod epoxy has cured, bolt the rear fuse onto the front fuse. The first thing noticeable will be that the fuse rear section will be slightly lower on the right side of the fuse when the rear fuse is bolted to the front nose section after the installation of the canopy. This is due to the slight gap from the shims when the canopy hinges were glued. Using filler putty, carefully rematch the front canopy to the rear fuse. Prime and finish sand.

Replacing the original center cockpit section with the new section:

Since the canopy will now be opening, the center cockpit console section of the canopy can't be mounted to the canopy itself as per the Skygate instructions. Instead, install the center console section must be attached to the fuse/canopy flange on the fuselage. The replacement section is sufficiently wide enough to allow the piece to be attached to the underside of the fuse/canopy flange using small screws. Provide a small piece of 1/16" ply as a spreader bar from one side of the fuse to the other to support the front edge of the replacement console section. See below for details.

Shown at left is the carbon fiber support rod required for the pneumatic operating system. A support bar is necessary for the manual system as well, but can be reduced to a 1/16" X1" wide piece mounted in the same location as shown here. Close photo below of center console fit under fuse flange.

Also the pushrod from the air cylinder on the pneumatic system.

Once the center console has been fitted and screws installed, remove the screws and the console from the aircraft. Locate the 8 small 1" square stepped cockpit section mounting tabs. These tabs are necessary to mount the cockpit sections due to the fact that the canopy hinges now push the cockpit out of place. You may elect to simply notch out the hinge sections and then follow the Skygate cockpit mounting instructions instead. If you plan on using the stepped blocks, mount them near the top edge of the fuse near the top flange using epoxy. Place 4 tabs on each side of the fuse and space them equally along the inside length of the fuse. See below for approx. placement.

Approx. mounting height for cockpit mounting stepped tabs.

You may use any favorite method to latch the canopy you choose. We have included a couple of our blind latch systems to use if you so choose. The latch system is simple and is designed to fit up into the canopy flange on the opposite side from the hinges. One latch unit fits in the front and one in the rear of the canopy. The open edge of the latches should face down as this is the flat side surface of the latch. The blind bellcrank is designed to be operated from the outside of the fuse using an allen wrench. This requires only a 1/8" diameter hole and once the aircraft is painted, is barely noticeable. Brass cable and clevises are used to connect the two latches to the bellcrank. The installation is no different than a conventional latch except for the bellcrank unit. The units are brand new and were not fitted to the original Hawk used in the writing of this manual, so there are no pictures or illustrations available. Due to the simplicity of the operation of the system, most will have no trouble adapting the blind latch system without the instructions.

If you are installing the pneumatic system or are considering adding it at a future time, The bellcrank unit would be driven with an air cylinder in place of the allen wrench and can be added at anytime. 

If you need any help with the installation or have any questions, you can e-mail us at:

support@details4scale.com or call us at 208-233-4721 9-6 MST USA