Canopy Wanted

[AdamS]

Following my engine failure last year (elsewhere on the forum), the Nipper is slowly coming back together but I'm in real need of a new canopy. Can anyone help?

[OO-WBR]

I also need a canopy, may be worth getting a batch made.


Willem

[jockthenipper]

I am also in the market now for a new canopy. Having spoken with Paul Grellier at Airweld he has a mould but is struggling to find a supplier. As ever, the problem is economy of scale. The more orders we can get together the more chance of the price being reasonable. Is it possible to canvass opinion on this forum to get an idea how many Nipper owners would order a new canopy if a provider can be sourced?

[Neil Spooner]

Hi Guys,

I still have my old (tatty) serviceable canopy from my MK3 Nipper, it is a MK2 canopy with an alloy "wedge" fitted. Offers.........?

The outfit I approached was http://www.projectplastics.co.uk/ who seemed very interested initially, but then seemed like they couldn't be bothered, maybe they have got too much work on (nice place to be). I did a massive amount of work on this some time back and found the only reliable source was going to be Mecaplex in Switzerland http://www.mecaplex.ch/mecaplex.asp?s=925&l=en . There is a MK3 mould available from a member in Switzerland.

As far as I am aware there are a couple of moulds floating around, and maybe a spare canopy. The bulbous mould did apparently cause handling issues, but I have no personal experience.

Regards,

Neil

Canopy (2).JPG (767.3 KiB) Viewed 18422 times

[jockthenipper]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the info, a quick trawl of the internet throws up some possibilities ; Talbots, a UK company who have made replacement canopies for Spitfires and Todd's Canopies in the USA. Todd's claim they can make new canopies even from broken parts. As you know Paul has a mould (picture attached) and I intend to call him again this week to check his progress in sourcing a supplier? In the meanwhile I will start making my own enquiries. My aircraft is a Slingsby built Series 3 but the rear cockpit hoop looks upright to me which suggests a Mk11 as far as canopies are concerned?

I am a few months away from needing the canopy but know only too well how weeks disappear in the procurement process!!

As ever, thanks to all for advice and information .

[Neil Spooner]

All looking very nice, you will need to extend the tube that supports the elevator belcrank with the seat mod', the belcrank will foul the back of the seat, it should be on the mod' plans I provided.
The canopy mould looks like the std slim line one............and yes, the forward turtledeck hoop looks like a MK2.
Keep up the good work!!
Neil

[ben]

Paul Grellier of Airweld has the canopy mould and is in the process of constructing an oven to enable him to make canopies. He reckons the cost will be circa £850. He is based in Hampshire and can be contacted on 07885 933514

[Neil Spooner]

.......mecaplex would come out about the same for a batch of 10....I am not suggesting Pauls would lack quality, but mecaplex have been doing this for a while!!
Neil

[jockthenipper]

I also spoke with Paul who confirms that they will attempt to make their own canopies ' in house' for the price that Ben has quoted in an earlier post. However, I am still a little confused as to what fits what?! My aircraft G-CORD is registered as a Series 3 yet the canopy 'hoop' on the fuselage frame appears upright. Am I correct in saying that an upright hoop is indicative of a Mk 2 and hence a shorter canopy, or is the difference in canopy length only between the Mk 3 and the Mk 3b, whatever that is? The real question is, what marks of Nipper will Paul's mould fit?

Fuselage progressed slightly since then........

By the way, apologies to all readers for my change of name!

[G-BLMW]

My Nipper is a 3b which was the Slingsby variant with the bigger canopy. Google my reg for photo's. Could I suggest that the mould at Airweld looks like it might be a 3b (sorry Neil ), if it came from Nipper kits it probably is. Perhaps if you could obtain some dimensions I could compare with mine.
Keep up the good work, the fuselage looks great.

Stuart

[jockthenipper]

Hi Stuart,
Thanks for your observations, I have to say I believe you are correct. My fear is that Paul's mould is a Mk 3b and from information received from G-ARBG this could require significant reworking to fit a Mk 3? A quick trawl of G-INFO suggests about a 50/50 split of Mk 2 and Mk 3 Nippers but no mention of the Mk 3b? Can anyone enlighten me as to what constitutes a Mk 3b? Is it from a certain Serial Number onwards? G-CORD is Slingsby built, Serial No: S105.

[G-BLMW]

Hi Adam AKA jockthenipper

A good question....can Airweld shed any light. I think the only differences are the big canopy and an angled wing step. I think the Mk2's & 3's have a straight one. Plus Slingsby tidied up the instrument panel/layout. Apart from that a normal Nipper. Re the big Mk3b canopy, I feel it is too bulbous and slows the aircraft a tad but I have not noticed any handling issues and I've been flying her since I built her way back in 1987. (where did all those years go!!) G-AXLI I believe to be 3b (although it is registered as a 3) it has the big canopy and the angled wing step. I went to look at G-AXLI when I was building mine and took loads of photos. Just to add a bit more confusion whilst looking through some papers I found mention of a Mk3a................Help!!!!

Stuart

[flyweld]

Hi All, As reported by Ben we are indeed building a thermoforming oven to produce canopies for the Nipper, we have looked into what is involved in great detail and realise that it is not going to be a walk in the park but we will keep at it and in the very near future be able to offer replacement canopies for the Tipsy Nipper, we will need input from owners to make sure we get it right for the various MK's. The mold we have that was supplied by Alan at NK&C ltd is indeed marked as a 3b and we will build new molds as and when needed, the 3b mold is quite large but I do believe they can be cut down and slightly reprofiled to fit other MK's it also does not have the bulges in the sides as I believe that was the one that slowed the aircraft and affected the handling.

Regards and happy Christmas to you all

Paul Grellier
http://www.nipperaircraft.co.uk
http://www.airweld.co.uk

[jockthenipper]

Hello Paul,

Thanks for contributing to the debate and also for the update on your efforts to produce replacement canopies.......... Regardless of Mk !!!

Good luck in your efforts and I hope that the word will spread in the Nipper community throughout the UK and Europe that you are committing to this undertaking. Hopefully, providing you with increased orders, amortising costs and lowering the price for everyone!!

All the best, Peter

[JimCrawford]

Hello Paul and Nipper fans;

Paul, we were in contact about 18 months ago regarding Nipper canopies and I was building an oven then for that purpose. Unfortunately the tenure of the Gliding Club at Bicester was then at it’s most fragile and, although that is now settled after a period of protracted uncertainty, it required a redesign of the oven to make it independent of workspace at Bicester. The time wasn’t wasted however as, along with the oven rework, the tricky question of how to make molds was chewed over extensively in the bar until the ‘Eureka moment came along. It is unfortunate that we didn’t keep in contact during the interim as we appear to have duplicated some effort, I’ll push on with my oven and one or both of us should be in a position to produce canopies to fill the void.
Now back to doing the annual on GAVTC.

Happy Christmas and good fortune to all for the New Year.

Regards

Jim