Hi Guys and Gals, Firstly, I hope you all had a good festive season and I wish you all a good New Year.
I am building an EH101 Merlin and have just noticed a nice big crack in the canopy glass. Has anybody got a brilliant idea for making it disapppear or is a new one the only answer.
Cheers in anticipation.

Hey FC( ya know you can get arrested for that in some states )
I'm not familiar with the aircraft in question, but if it's a type which has framing, perhaps you can cut the cracked section out & substitute some acetate or lexan? Maybe show it open so as not to make it obvious? i tried this with a Bf109 a long time ago, & someone with talent could probably actually make it work

Other than that, I'm afraid you may have to replace it. If the kit is still in production, companies are usually pretty good about letting you order replacement parts. Of course, if there's a possibility it cracked in shipping, some companies will replace it free.
Other options are Aftermarket(Merlin or Holdfast can probably steer you that direction) or vacuforming a replacement using your original as a guide.

HTH!
Oh, & Welcome to the Site!

[EDIT1]- D'oh! The Merlin Helicopter!( sorry, been at work for over 12 hrs now...)Hmm. If it's one of the side windows you can cut it out, but if it's the front Wraparound-'fraid your like a duck at a Cockfight...

[EDIT2] - I see you've been a member since October...well, welcome BACK to the site...

Write Revell and ask them to send you a new one, life is too short to start messing with cracked canopies!

Writing to Revell will get you the canopy, but in the small print in the instructions you will find a note telling you to return the instructions plus the kit number cut from the box. I did this when I had a problem of 2 of 1 sprue and none of the other in my He 111. No problem they sent me the missing sprue. However, for the likes of Hasegawa certainly and probably most of the other manufacturers you simply write to the importer. This might work for Revell too and, if so would be quicker.
The importer for Hasegawa is, I believe Richard Constam (spelling) Ltd, or was. Does anyone know the UK importer of Revell? I require a canopy for my A-26 but I haven't found the time to find out the Importer.
Mal

Hi Mal and everybody else. Thanks for the advise. I didn't think there was any easy way to get rid of a crack so today I wrote to Revell GB and requested a new one. Not stuck though as I pinched one out of the RAF version I have yet to build so I can keep going.

Mal, Revell GB is :-
Revell GmbH & Co. KG,
64-66 Queensway,
Hemel Hempstead,
Herts. HP2 5HA

Hi Mal

I've never taken any notice of that - I've simply written to them explaining the problem and they've always supplied the item. I have to say the service has always been superb - they've even chased up spares from Revell/Monogram in the US if the kit isn't "officially" available from Revell Europe.

All the best

Rowan

Thanks for the address John, I'll be writing to them soon.
Thanks for that Rowan. When I found 2 of the same sprue but none of the other in the He 111, I look had to hunt through the instructions to look for info on how to sort it. Before I found the necessary info I found a statement saying that as the boxes were weighed before shipment the kit will be complete. They obviously don't consider that some div will put 2 of the same sprue in. Anyway I thought, because of this statement that I would have a fight on my hands. They actually sent me the sprue and a clear sprue so I have 2 kits :-) One of which I have built

It was a pain sending the instructions, but I suppose they are simpley covering their backs.
Of coures there wasn't Armorama back then so I had to rely on what I was able to find out :-)
Mal