Hi all,

I'm finishing up on the construction of a SIG Hog Bipe. This is my first plane with an open cockpit. In the past I have added colored construction paper applied with 3M 77 adhesive or matte black Testors paint. But all those had full canopies.

What cockpit treatment have you found that looks decent and is protected from the small bit of "stuff". The exhaust is pointed to the bottom of the plane.

TIA,

I have used MonoKote on some cockpits, and painted others. I prefer brush-on paint, as it never lifts or bubbles like covering usually does. If it is exposed to any exhaust or fuel, use some dope or other fuel proof paint, if not, artists acrylic paint goes on nice with water clean-up. I've also used the stone finish spray paints which is almost like the old spatter finish they used to use in auto trunks. It gives a nice texture on large cockpits. For the Hog, I think I'd just use some black or gray dope.

I did a Slow Poke some years ago and the open cockpit is exposed to fuel.

I mixed a few drops of black enamel with some 30 min epoxy and a few drops of 90% rubbing alcohol and painted the cockpit. It has held up fine all these years.

Emmmm, I think I like the black-tinted epoxy - thx.

After you paint, go to the auto parts store and by some small black fuel line hose split it down one side. You can see a thin seem line on the hose use that as a guide. I just pull it onto a sharp X-acto blade with thumb and pointer finger staying behind the blade very easy to do. Then use it for the open cockpit combing get it all on nice and neat first then pull it back here and there to add a few drops of medium CA. Now it's there to stay and looks great.

Looks good. I also like using the cockpit as a location for the switch.