Have you ever gotten to the point where your newest creation was ready for painting and in the course of sanding the airframe you also accidentally sanded the canopy? If you haven't you either don't use sandpaper or you don't build aircraft with windshields or canopies.

Well, now that your entire day is ruined by this scratchy situation, take heart and let's try to get a clear view of things, first thing to do is forget about this mishap momentarily and proceed to finish the model in all its splendid colors, marking etc. When things look great except for the canopy, now's the time to clear up the problem.

Mask off the entire canopy where the framing meets the fuselage using 1/2 inch or wider masking tape. Now sand! That's right, sand the entire canopy using No. 600 wet or dry sandpaper using plenty of water. Pay particular attention to areas of severe scratches. Sand the entire canopy until it looks foggy or sort of like fine frosted glass. By this time you may think I'm crazy but hang in there, your pilot will soon see the light. At this point dry the canopy thoroughly. If the tape has gotten soggy remove it and replace it with fresh stuff when everything is dry. After masking (being careful not to touch any of the sanded area) add whatever method you prefer to cover adjoining areas to protect them against overspray. Mix up some "Hobby-Poxy" clear with gloss brushing hardener and about 20% thinner. Let this mixture set for about 15 minutes before using. While you're waiting, lock the dog, the kids and your wife in the closet. Then take out your tack rag and wipe the entire canopy. Now that all the dust and noise (kids, dog and wife in closet noise) have settled, its time to spray with your airbrush or whatever.

Spray one light coat of your clear epoxy mixture over the entire canopy. Wait 5 minutes and repeat. Wait another 5 minutes and apply a wet coat. Presto! You and your pilot can now see eye to eye. If things are still a little hazy, apply one more wet coat and quit. If blushing appears, hang in there. It will go away by itself.

A half hour after your last wet coat you can unlock the closet, but don't touch the canopy. Let the clear set for 24 hours before removing the masking tape etc. if you have fine dust specks in the finish, wait 3 days and wax. That's right, wax the canopy with a good grade of automotive wax that contains a fine cleaner. Buff and Wa-La!