Skymaster 1/6 Scale F-16 Canopy Manual

The following tools, materials and parts are necessary to complete the installation of the canopy system:

Dremel rotary tool with the following bits: 1/8" spiral cutting bit, 1/2" drum sander, 3/16" carbide (Perma-Grit bit).

Drill with 1/16" bit, 5/64" bit

Aeropoxy (Hysol)

Black spray or model paint

"Z" Bender or needle nose pliers

needle files

Servo recommendations: 2) JR-351 micro metal gear (or equivalent), 1) JR 8411(or equivalent)

Du-Bro heavy duty servo arm with 3/4"-1" center to center (hold down screw center to clevis hole distance)

Canopy/Pivot Hinge Installation Instructions:

Referring to the photo below, enlarge the rear canopy cutout opening to the dimensions and specs below.

The top circular canopy rim should finish out with a 1/8" lip all the way around the circular arc of the top rear edge of the canopy. The bottom profile is defined by the molded plastic canopy bulkhead top outline.

The bottom rear canopy fiberglass should be trimmed after the installation of the bulkhead below. The photo clearly shows that the bottom profile follows the top edge of the molded bulkhead. The only deviation is the slot for the clevis tab and side clearance for the clevis.

Next, install the molded canopy bulkhead using Aeropoxy and allow the epoxy to cure. Once cured, cut the slot for the clevis tab thru the canopy fiberglass. See photo below.

It may be necessary to relieve some of the epoxy on the canopy on either end of the stiffener bulkhead before installing the molded piece. The top rim needs to sit flush as shown in the photo above and the bottom edge (against the canopy flange) needs to be flush with the edge of the canopy fiberglass return lip. See left.

Next, install the clevis tab into the bulkhead slot with the relief edge of the tab facing the canopy flange.

The relief faces down so the clevis has clearance to swing downward.

Install the clevis pivot assembly as shown below.

The pivot arm assembly comes fully assembled. Simply install the unit as the photo to left shows.

Locate the fuse cutout template and transfer the cutout to the fuse at the rear of the canopy opening.

Cutout the area shown in the photo including the top and bottom. This is the rough opening and will be finalized later. Mark the screw hole locations and drill each hole thru the glass using a 3/32" drill bit. Use a conical dremel grinding bit to recess the #2 flat head philips screws included in the hardware pkg.

Install the canopy servo onto the servo mounting plate using a 1/16" drill bit and 4) flanged servos screws provided. The output arm side (plug wire side) of the servo should be facing the arc side of the servo mount. See photo below for proper servo orientation. Do not install the servo tray yet.

Once the servo has been installed, install the servo plate as shown in the photo above and below using the 8) #2 X1/2" flat head screws provided. Use a 5/64" drill bit to drill thru the fuse fiberglass holes and into the servo mount plate material. Be sure the mount fit into the fuse so that the slots (top and bottom on the fuse) line up with the servo mount plate slot. Once the mount is installed, carefully remove the excess fuse glass within the servo mount slot boundaries so that two slots are the same.

Photo shows screws installed thru fuse into servo mount plate with slot cutouts. The plate and front fuse edges should be painted with flat black as shown. Notice the canopy stiffener plate with the bottom edge of the bulkhead flush with the canopy return lip.

Using a spiral dremel bit, make the right and left fuse pivot slots as shown in the photos below. The slots fore and aft length is 1/2" forward of the angled transition at the rear of the canopy's fiberglass arm slot. Left slot, left photo, right slot, right photo. Photo shows the pivot slot track inside fuse after installation. The rear edges of the slots require the use of needle files to get the cutouts as close to the outer edge of the fuse as possible. This is necessary to allow the canopy arms to slide slightly into the fuse when the canopy is raised.

Using the same spiral but, cut two relief slot pockets for the canopy arm pivot tabs as shown in the photos below. The tabs are 1/8" thick and the slots should be the same width as the thickness of the tabs. The slots should also match as closely as possible, the length of the tabs. Also, remove the old canopy steel pins (notice holes left after the pins were removed).

Rough sand the outer surfaces on the tabs that touch the canopy arm using 80 grit sandpaper and Aeropoxy the tabs in place as shown above. Be sure the small notch on the tabs faces aft. Allow the Aeropoxy to cure.

Place the canopy onto the fuse as shown below and tape in place. Tape the rear canopy section onto the fuse and trace around the rear section to mark it's location. Rough sand the bottom of the rear canopy section and the top edge of the fuse, just inside the line drawn approx 1/4" wide and glue the rear section to the fuse. Tape rear section down to hold it in place until the epoxy cures.

Once the rear section has been installed, remove tape holding the front canopy in place and install 2) 2-56 X 5/8" cap screws thru the tabs previously installed until they bottom out against the tabs.

Cap screw installed thru tab on right side. Install second cap screw thru left side as well. Be sure the screws are installed all the way until the head bottoms out against the tab side. Once the screws are installed completely, re-tape the canopy to the fuse.

Notice the cap screws thru each tab fully.

Next, the pivot track units will be installed in the fuse. See photo below for proper location of track units. The units must install with each cap screw bolt thru each slot in the track units and with the track unit perpendicular to the bolts as nearly as possible. The track units should be slid as far forward as the track slot allows before gluing. This is the rear, canopy closed location for the slots. NOTE: the bolt will be far back in each slot, but not against the rear edge of the slots.

Notice in the photo the location of the bolt in the slot. This is the bolts location when the canopy is closed fully. Notice the slot extends down and back. The bolt will be near the downward/ rearward end of the slot when the canopy is closed. The inset photo below shows the bolt location when the canopy is open.

Bolt shown near top of slot when canopy is open. Notice the servo arm position when canopy is open. Nearly 90 degrees.

To install the tracks, just tack them in place using med. CA for now. DO NOT glue them in permanently yet.

Un-tape the canopy from the fuse and open the canopy slightly. It will need to first be raised in the rear before it will clear the rear canopy section. This is the actual action of canopy when opening with the servo. Once the canopy is open, swing the servo arm outward until the arm is approx. 90 degrees to the servo. See photo below. Connect the servo arm to the clevis unit using a 2-56 X 3/8" cap screw.

This photo shows the proper assembly  of the clevis arm unit to the servo arm. Once the two are joined together, reach inside the rear of the fuse and pull on the servo arm, the servo arm should extend to the approx. location shown in the inset photo below to fully close the canopy. NEVER OPEN OR CLOSE THE CANOPY BY PRESSING OR PULLING ON THE CANOPY ITSELF, AS DAMAGE TO THE PIVOTS WILL OCCUR! Always use the servo to open or close the canopy, even manually!

Due to the tight confines in the fuse, the closed photo is not possible to obtain using a camera. The total servo throw is nearly the full travel from stop to stop on the servo. Final adjustments can be made by removing the servo arm and fine adjustments are possible using the canopy sequencer (supplied with each system).

If the canopy closes fully by manually pulling on the servo arm, push the servo arm to open the canopy. The canopy should clear the rear canopy section without effort or touching if the track plates are installed correctly. If both opening and closing the canopy can be accomplished manually by simply pushing and pulling on the servo arm, the track plates are installed correctly and can be Aeropoxied in place. Start by removing the clevis/servo arm bolt (2-56 X 3/8"), then remove the 2-56 X5/8" pivot tab bolts from each canopy arm. Then remove the canopy from the airframe.

Run a bead of Aeropoxy down each side of the pivot track plates where the plates contact the fuse. DO NOT GET ANY GLUE IN THE SLOTS! Allow the Aeropoxy to cure fully.

This completes the parts installation for the canopy pivot system. Please unbolt the pivot arm from the servo arm and remove the canopy once again.

Locking System installation:

Locate the locking servo mount and mounting tabs. See photo and parts description below.

Locking servo tray and mounting tabs

Rough sand the inside fuse along the entire underside lip of the cockpit opening. Install locking servo tray mounting tabs as shown in the photos below.

Locking servo tray completed installation below.

Be sure to countersink the #2 flathead screws.

Once the tray has been installed, remove the screws and install the two micro servos as shown below.

The two servos should be mounted with the output arms facing the nose of the aircraft (or farthest away from the first lock unit). Use a 1/16" drill bit and pre-drill for the servo screws. Be sure the servo arms are centered between the two end to end stops for the servo. With the servo arms at a 90 deg. angle to the mounting tray base, you should be able to move the arm by hand the same approx. distance in both directions from center. Install the arm screw and apply Loctite to the screw threads before seating the screw.

Re-install the servo tray being careful to mount the servo wire (output arm side) towards the front of the aircraft.

Installing the Lock Units and Canopy Hooks:

Carefully lay out the slots for the locking units as shown in the photo below. The slots are 1/8" wide and 3/4" long. The slots should be centered between the outer fuse edge and the first transition lip where the cockpit recess is. See photo below.

Dimension listed are to the front edge of each slot. The slot then extends 3/4" to the rear of each mark.

Make all four slots and center them within the cockpit lip insert and the outer edge of the fuse.

Mount each lock as shown to the left using CA to tack the units in place. The cap screw faces the cockpit opening so that the screw can be removed after the unit is installed. Mount the fatter, large end of the unit towards the locking servo tray (front of aircraft). Also be certain the opening in the lock unit is perfectly centered within the slot in the fuse. Once all the locks are tacked in place, make a fillet around each unit using Aeropoxy. DO NOT get any glue on the arm or slots. Allow the Aeropoxy to cure fully.

Carefully mark and cut the slots for the canopy hooks as shown below. Use CA to tack the hooks in place first so that a fit check can be performed before permanently gluing them in place.

The dimensions shown in the photo are to the back of each hook. Be sure the slots run forward from the stated dimension marks. Be sure to center the hooks and that the center to each hook from the outer edge of the canopy matches the center of each slot cutout on the fuse. Once the hooks are tacked into the canopy, place the canopy onto the fuse. The hooks should fit into each slot with no binding on the sides. Be sure one last time that the hooks are centered in the lock unit's slots.

Each hook should be carefully beveled on the bottom edge of the hook as shown to left. Re-check side to side clearance fit to fuse slots. With canopy installed on fuse still, reach thru the rear fuse opening and manually close each lock unit by hand by pushing the locking arm towards the front of the fuse. The locking hook inside the lock unit should first pull down on the canopy hook and then fully engage the canopy hook, thus locking the canopy down.

Once satisfied with the fit of all four canopy hooks and the fit within the lock units, Aeropoxy the canopy hooks in place. Allow the Aeropoxy to cure fully.

Lock unit pushrods:

Install the rear pushrods first. The center to center distance for the rear pushrods is 6". The dimension shown below in the photo needs to be 6", center to center for the SM F-16 rear lock pushrods. The forward pushrods are 3" center to center. You will need to assemble the carbon fiber rods onto the .040 pushrod wire before making the "Z" bends to both ends. It is also necessary to remove one of the lock units hooks on each side of the fuse to install the pushrod onto the locking unit's arm. After installing the pushrods, re-assemble the lock arm back into the locking unit. The rear unit mount thru the upper holes (the holes nearest the lock unit body. The front unit mounts to the servo and the outer most hole of the lock unit's arm. See photos below.

Ignore the dimensions on the photo. "Z" bends are typical. Once the pushrods are assembled, place a small drop of CA on each CF rod to wire connection at the tube openings and spray with kicker. This will fuse the tube to the wire pushrod.

Finished pushrod installation should look like the photo below.

Typical pushrod installation. Front lock unit to rear lock unit.

Typical pushrod installation. Servo to front lock unit. The forward pushrods require the locking servo tray to be un-installed in order to install the front pushrods. Both pushrods must be installed at the same time. Once the pushrods are in place, re-install the servo tray.

Once the pushrods have been installed, it's time to plug in the canopy sequencer unit. Choose the appropriate channel from the transmitter for the canopy system. Set the ATV's for the channel at 100% in each direction. Follow the instructions for the sequencer unit to establish the transmitter switch settings, canopy actuator servo ATV's and to set up the locking system. Once set, the system is maintenance free.

Canopy Sequencer Wiring: Looking at the sequencer from the front, label side readable, the locking servo ports are in the upper left corner of the unit. DO NOT PLUG the two locking servo leads into the unit at this time. Be sure the four lock units are open fully by rotating the servo arms towards the rear of the fuse. Visually check each lock to be sure they are open. Next plug in the canopy servo lead with the same signal wire orientation. The sequencer servos require power from a source other than that of the receiver. If using a power type box, plug the lower lead (two wire lead) into an extra battery port on the power box. Plug the top lead into the receiver channel being used for the canopy operation. If you are using the system status lighting, the red "OPEN-Un-Locked" light plug plugs into the top right hand port with the red wire facing towards the label side of the unit. Next plug in the green "Locked, Ready" light plug into the port directly below the red port using the same wire color orientation.

SB2 is unused. NEVER plug anything into this port.

Canopy Sequencer Operational Setup:

Be sure to place the sequencer outside the airframe or in the rear of the front fuse when setting up the unit as you will not be able to complete some programming functions if the unit is under the canopy in the fuse. The unit can be permanently mounted after the first programming.

Position the canopy switch or dial on the transmitter to what you want the canopy "OPEN" position to be and turn on the transmitter. Then, while simultaneously pressing down both SW1 and SW2, cycle the power on for the aircraft and then release the two switches. Check the two led lights located at the lower right corner on the top of the unit. If the light is green, wait 2 seconds and you may proceed to the next step. If the light is RED, you must first go into the programming of the transmitter and reverse the canopy servo channel before proceeding. Once the channel has been reversed, the light will turn green.

Once the transmitter switch has been properly set, the red led will be blinking slowly. Move the canopy switch to the "OPEN canopy position and press and release SW1. The red light will go out, the green light will come on briefly and then got out. The red light will again be blinking, but more quickly. Move the canopy switch to the closed position and press and release SW2. Once again the red light will go out and the green light come on again briefly and then go out. This sets the canopy switch positions for the transmitter.

The red light will now be blinking slowly as before, carefully turn the adjustment pot until the small dial is centered between stops. Press and release SW2 to enter the canopy servo endpoint programming setup. The servo will now have power and can be adjusted for full open and full closed positions. The red light will now be "ON" solidly. Carefully turn the pot until the canopy is fully open. It may require the pot to be turned all the way to one side or the other. Once the canopy is fully open, press and release SW1. The red light will go out again and the green light will come on briefly and then go out. The red light will again be "ON" solid. Turn the pot until the canopy closes and the hooks slide into the lock slots. If the servo buzzes, back off on the pot just a tiny bit, then press and release SW2. The red light will go out again and the green light will come on briefly once again and then go out. With the canopy closed, plug in the two locking servos into the two upper left ports with the signal wires facing the top edge of the unit. The red light will again be "ON" solid. Adjust locking servo #1 using the pot until the locks are completely open. When the servo buzzes slightly, back off the pot setting until the servo stops buzzing, then press and release SW1. The red light will go out and the green light will come on briefly again and then go out. Turn the pot until the locking unit hooks engage the lock #1 canopy hooks and pull it tight to the fuse. The servo will once again buzz; just back off the setting slightly until the buzzing stops. Press and release SW2. The red light will go out again the the green light will repeat the same as before.

Repeat the above steps for locking servo #2. When the programming is complete and all values set up, the green programming light will blink 4X to signal "programming complete". Once the programming is complete, the canopy will remain closed and locked.

Setting the Lock Servo Delay Time: Move the canopy switch on the transmitter to the canopy "OPEN" position. The locks will immediately open followed by  the canopy opening (cycle time is 7.5 seconds). Once the canopy is open all the way and the servo has stopped moving, cycle the transmitter switch to the closed position. After the canopy has closed all the way, count to between 2 and 3 seconds and then press and release SW1. The locks will then close and the lock servo delay will be set. This never needs to be repeated, unless the unit is re-programmed. This completes the canopy system installation and sequencer setup and programming.

If you encounter any problems or need help installing or using your F-16 canopy system, you may contact us at:

E-mail: support@details4scale.com or phone: 208-233-4721 9-6 M-F MST USA.

Thank You,

Dan Gill, Details 4 Scale