Yea, that's exactly what my son said "Dad it needs to go up and down slowly, like zzzzit [motions with hands...]) The UP valves have built in needle valves, but they are so "fiddily" its hard to get the speed just right. The range from full speed to (what seems like) full stop is about 1/4 of a turn, and you have to hold them in place while you tighten the lock nuts...

Also, there's a bit of "sticktion" in the system, even in the cylinders themselves and the canopy is so light, its hard to get the speed down. Pressure has to build up to the point where the motion starts and once it does, the pressure is high enough to make it move fairly quickly to the other position. Plus, when I slow it down to where it actually moves slower, it takes literally a minute or more from when you throw the switch until the canopy moves. I may play around with it some more later, but right now, I'm happy to get reliable operation and locking so I can move on to the next task.

Yes, the model is scheduled to be Metalmorphed. Hopefully that will start in a month or so.

I'm better with this sort of mechanical stuff. The guys like Greg, Paul, Dan Gill, Joe Grice, etc. that can add that much detail into a model are in a whole 'nother league!

Bob