Van's Air Force
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Canopy cracker
- Thread starter Paul K
- Start date
FredMagare
Well Known Member
I don't know where you can get anything like that but it kind of looks like it was carved out of a very short screw-type barbell handle! 
Cut the threads off of one side and grind the other side to shape.
Cut the threads off of one side and grind the other side to shape. 
Recently while attending my son's USAFA graduation, I had some time to kill so I visited the Visitor Center at the Academy. They have an old T38 cockpit display set up and I noticed this:
I think this would look really good in my RV
Anyone know where to get one?
I'd ask a military surplus store near an USAF fighter or trainer base if they can get their hands on one. They're canopy cutting tools. You use it to cut a hole in the canopy for manual bailout if your ejection seat fails. Clearly this was meant for controlled bailout purposes.
The plan: Hold it with both hands with the blade facing your face, then thrust it upward into the canopy. The curved blade would ricochet it away from your face. On a cold day, one or two whacks should cut a nice long cut parallel to the blade. On a hot day, you might never get out of the cockpit no matter how passionately you commence to whack'n.
I never needed it...or the seat...in my 2000 hours of F-4 flying. I was grateful to have the ejection seat, but I sure dreaded having to ever resort to the canopy whacker.
Would it work in an RV? Sure, probably, but it adds 3-4 pounds of weight. I figure I'd be as quick or quicker with my fist and boot against these thinner RV canopies.
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BuckWynd
Well Known Member
They're called "canopy breaker tools," and you can find a MUCH lighter and probably equally-effective tool called the Piranha available at:
Flyboy Accessories
and also at
Aircraft Spruce.
You can find the original military ones ocassionally on eBay for upwards of $100.
In case you have a government supply source, here's the National Stock number information for the official item.
Flyboy Accessories
and also at
Aircraft Spruce.
You can find the original military ones ocassionally on eBay for upwards of $100.
In case you have a government supply source, here's the National Stock number information for the official item.
Mark Albery
Well Known Member
You might consider the Smith & Wesson rescue knife. They have a spring loaded bolt designed for breaking glass, but should work on a canopy.
They also have a knife for cutting webbing.
Occasionally cheap on Ebay. Look for the SW911.
They also have a knife for cutting webbing.
Occasionally cheap on Ebay. Look for the SW911.
Canopy Breaker Tool usage
Mike,
No, it's not an etching tool...it's a heavy bladed punch. I received recurring training on this tool as part of my yearly life support training for 14 years. You hold it in both hands with the blade faced upward and the curved side toward you. Turn the blade as required to orient it in the direction you want the canopy to break, because the stroke will cause the plexiglass to fracture in line with the blade. Thrust it upward into the canopy to make 3 or 4 big intersecting breaks in the canopy: These constitute the sides of a triangular or square hole large enough for you and your passenger to get out. Note: You're not making an X...you're making the sides of a hole, and you'll push that piece out of the way.
The standard safety warning: If you have the curved side turned away from your face, the blade **WILL** glance away from the curved side....into your forehead? That was a question on our yearly standardization/evaluation test.
Mike,
No, it's not an etching tool...it's a heavy bladed punch. I received recurring training on this tool as part of my yearly life support training for 14 years. You hold it in both hands with the blade faced upward and the curved side toward you. Turn the blade as required to orient it in the direction you want the canopy to break, because the stroke will cause the plexiglass to fracture in line with the blade. Thrust it upward into the canopy to make 3 or 4 big intersecting breaks in the canopy: These constitute the sides of a triangular or square hole large enough for you and your passenger to get out. Note: You're not making an X...you're making the sides of a hole, and you'll push that piece out of the way.
The standard safety warning: If you have the curved side turned away from your face, the blade **WILL** glance away from the curved side....into your forehead? That was a question on our yearly standardization/evaluation test.
Center punch vs canopy breaker knife
EssGee,
Methinks not as well. The canopy breaker tool's knife blade allows the pilot (heretofor known as "the Whacker") to apply a crack in the plexiglass along a relatively predicable line. Whack three or four of those in a manner that connects on the ends, and you've got a triangle or square-shaped hole. A center punch might start some shattering or spidering from the middle, but you haven't really built the hole.
As I mentioned earler, on a cold day, the breaker tool should work fairly well for the Whacker on brittle plexi. The center punch might make big cracks, but it doesn't build the confines of the hole.
My .97 Euro....or 13,000 Turkish lira....or 2 bits.
EssGee,
Methinks not as well. The canopy breaker tool's knife blade allows the pilot (heretofor known as "the Whacker") to apply a crack in the plexiglass along a relatively predicable line. Whack three or four of those in a manner that connects on the ends, and you've got a triangle or square-shaped hole. A center punch might start some shattering or spidering from the middle, but you haven't really built the hole.
As I mentioned earler, on a cold day, the breaker tool should work fairly well for the Whacker on brittle plexi. The center punch might make big cracks, but it doesn't build the confines of the hole.
My .97 Euro....or 13,000 Turkish lira....or 2 bits.
If you want to see results of tools actually tested on an RV canopy, then look here. Aweful nice of Scott to perform the experiment and post the work.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=60863&highlight=canopy+hammer
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=60863&highlight=canopy+hammer
lorne green
Well Known Member
Jim
Just from a practical point of view; in the unfortunate case of an accident or incident, concider Newtons Law, where it states:
Once your pry bar is in motion, it will have a tendency to stay in motion..all the way to the firewall.
I'm thinking in terms of access to the bar after the incident.
Regards
Just from a practical point of view; in the unfortunate case of an accident or incident, concider Newtons Law, where it states:
Once your pry bar is in motion, it will have a tendency to stay in motion..all the way to the firewall.
I'm thinking in terms of access to the bar after the incident.
Regards
Just from a practical point of view; in the unfortunate case of an accident or incident, concider Newtons Law, where it states:
Once your pry bar is in motion, it will have a tendency to stay in motion..all the way to the firewall.
I'm thinking in terms of access to the bar after the incident.
Regards
Yet, it will be reasonable to argue that the pry bar will automatically do the job by its potential energy and take the whole front end of the cockpit out, providing a large escape hole in the front of the aircraft. No need to break and egress from canopy anymore
jsharkey
Well Known Member
Yet, it will be reasonable to argue that the pry bar will automatically do the job by its potential energy and take the whole front end of the cockpit out, providing a large escape hole in the front of the aircraft. No need to break and egress from canopy anymore
OK - Point taken Lorne and Bavafa - I'll rig a more positive attachment.
Even the wise guys have their use on VAF
If you look at the cockpit photo of C-GSEV:
http://vansairforce.org/airplanes/C-GSEV/
You'll see one of these secured under the canopy rail on the left side... Just where the forward canopy bow comes down to meet the rail.
The tool was put to the test a number of years ago after this aircraft had an off-airport landing resulting in a flip-over. The tool was successful in cutting a hole large enough for egress, after many whacks. Something to keep in mind is that the resulting edges of plexi that you're going to have to crawl past are *very* sharp. Both occupants suffered deep cuts from the squirming out of the cockpit.
(thankfully, no serious injuries were sustained, just bumps/bruises/scrapes)
http://vansairforce.org/airplanes/C-GSEV/
You'll see one of these secured under the canopy rail on the left side... Just where the forward canopy bow comes down to meet the rail.
The tool was put to the test a number of years ago after this aircraft had an off-airport landing resulting in a flip-over. The tool was successful in cutting a hole large enough for egress, after many whacks. Something to keep in mind is that the resulting edges of plexi that you're going to have to crawl past are *very* sharp. Both occupants suffered deep cuts from the squirming out of the cockpit.
(thankfully, no serious injuries were sustained, just bumps/bruises/scrapes)
lorne green
Well Known Member
OK - Point taken Lorne and Bavafa - I'll rig a more positive attachment.
Even the wise guys have their use on VAF
It's what we take from these forums that amazes me. I think that we builder's are fortunate to have VAF to lean on from time to time. It's all good.
Blue skies!
