US fighter aircraft canopies

[Paul A.]

Having spent my career in the aviation industry i continue to enjoy YT vids of aircraft and flying. After watching an F-35 vid just now it continues to baffle me how the canopies get and remain so scratched and hacked up.

I would kill to cut and polish them! With the current capabilities in detailing why doesn't the military do the simple corrections to improve pilot visibility? I ask here because of the wide experience of thousands of members on AGO. Some may have some insight.

[dgage]

I notice that same thing and cringe.

[vobro]

I’m pretty sure the Raptor and F35 have a coating or film installed on them. The Raptor is coated with Indium Tin Oxide that’s why it looks gold, allegedly helps with reflecting radar and the F35 has a more durable coating. I know what you mean though the canopies looks nasty especially the F16 with the bubble glass full view. I had a relative that flew B-52’s and I asked about that and he said they mostly rely on sensors and radar for situational awareness, his helmet visor was swirl free and he was proud of it

[Paul A.]

Ahhh, good points, vobro. We don't polish off coatings unless we are replacing. Indium Tin Oxide as a coating helps defend it! I don't want that coming off!!!

[DUBL0WS6]

I'm pretty sure pilots fly by instruments and not sight.

[Big Dave]

Had 3 flights of F-35s fly over while I was walking my dogs this morning, but I only saw one of them. In clear skies they're almost impossible to see, but you can tell what they are by the sound, they're the loudest things in the sky.

Apparently the coating on the canopy is designed to deflect radar waves away from their source, as with the shape of aircraft. It stops radar waves entering the cockpit and bouncing off the flat surfaces inside.

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[PaulMys]

Apparently the coating on the canopy is designed to deflect radar waves away from their source, as with the shape of aircraft. It stops radar waves entering the cockpit and bouncing off the flat surfaces inside.

We need CarPro to look into this technology. ASAP!!

[70fastback]

When I was in the Air Force and worked on F-15s, we used this kit to polish scratches from canopies.

Micro-Mesh Windshield Restoral Kit - MyPilotStore.com

[Paul A.]

Ahh, there ya go, 70fastback! That's a LOT of sanding.

[Jeeky123]

We need CarPro to look into this technology. ASAP!!

Yeah, that would be so cool when applied to cars!