Flying with canopy open?

[Iorwerth]

Is it ok to fly with canopy open? I am learning on a BF109f2 and accidently opend my canopy when flying. It didn't seem to have much effect that i could tell, but visibility was much better with it open, so was wondering if flying with the canopy open is problematic in any way. 

[72AGs_Buzoter]

9 минут назад, Iorwerth сказал:

Можно ли летать с открытым куполом? Я учусь летать на BF109f2 и случайно открыл купол во время полета. Насколько я могу судить, это не сильно повлияло на ситуацию, но видимость с открытым куполом была намного лучше, поэтому я хотел бы узнать, не создаст ли полет с открытым куполом каких-либо проблем. 

Скорость заметно падает, а это один из козырей мессера. Поэтому надо привыкать к фонарю и плохому обзору.

[Iorwerth]

Ok. Thank you. I will keep it shut 🙂

[Avimimus]

41 minutes ago, Iorwerth said:

Ok. Thank you. I will keep it shut 🙂

Some Soviet pilots initially flew the Hurricane in combat with the cockpit open because they preferred the visibility. It was done historically in rare cases, and is valid if you prefer it.

However, you will lose a lot of speed and acceleration!

A major exception is the Bf-109 - because the canopy hinged to the side (rather than sliding), it couldn't be flown with the canopy open. Instead one would have to use the emergency canopy release (and replace the canopy after every mission!). Similarly the P-39 has a side door rather than an opening canopy. Overall though, it is possible in most other types.

A final note - the latch doesn't always work in the Yak-7B... so sometimes the canopy won't 'catch' and certain manoeuvres will cause it to slide shut by surprise!

[Iorwerth]

Interesting. I suppose when I did it by accident in the BF109 my canopy just flew off, as i couldn't get it to close. If having it open loses a lot of speed and acceleration, then seems I better get used to having it closed!

[MDzmitry]

1 час назад, Avimimus сказал:

It was done historically in rare cases, and is valid if you prefer it.

"In rare cases" wasn't exactly rare on the Eastern front because most Soviet fighters didn't have reliable cockpit jettison system until 1943-44 (Yak-9M, Yak-3, late La-5 series and La-7). And cockpit couldn't be opened past a certain speed threshold or if the pilot was wounded. There was also the diabolical cockpit temperature problem of Lavochkin fighters, sitting at a "comfortable" 40-60 degrees Celsius. 

So many of them preferred flying slower, but with better chances of survival and/or not in a sauna.

[Kubert]

I read in Pokryshkyn's book that he let remove sliding part of his MiG's canopy after one of his colleagues have trouble to open it when needed to bail out during stall. Pokryshkyn did the same stall on purpose and found it is really impossible to open canopy in that situation. After this finding he started flying with sliding part removed...and many others as well.

 

Also in game specification for every plane, is mentioned that above certain speed is impossible to open/close canopy.

 

For BF-109 I never even though about removing canopy for better visibility. Simply for realism reasons. I would be grounded if I always came back without canopy...or mechanics would execute me. 

Edited January 5 by Kubert

[Dash,Polder]

You can safely open any 109's canopy once your speed drops below 200 KPH and it won't tear off.  I routinely do it dirtied up for landing and trimmed for speed on short final, sort of cool.

[MaxPower]

6 hours ago, Iorwerth said:

I suppose when I did it by accident in the BF109 my canopy just flew off, as i couldn't get it to close.

Yeah I think you would have noticed the canopy on its hinge if it didn't rip off.  Instead of offering better visibility to the right, it would be majorly intrusive in your field of view.

[AndyJWest]

In real life if you were to try either opening the Bf 109 canopy in flight or jettisoning it, you'd risk having it hit the tail surfaces.  

Edited January 5 by AndyJWest

[Czech693]

Would not be a good idea even if this sim lets you get away with it.  The canopy is heavy, especially on later models.  It has the armor plate (or glass) attached to it.  There is no mechanism to hold it open so the slip stream could cause it to slam shut on your head.  Very distracting while landing.

 

[mrmertz]

On 1/8/2026 at 9:56 AM, Czech693 said:

Would not be a good idea even if this sim lets you get away with it.  The canopy is heavy, especially on later models.  It has the armor plate (or glass) attached to it.  There is no mechanism to hold it open so the slip stream could cause it to slam shut on your head.  Very distracting while landing.

Oh God yes. It’s damn near claustrophobic in VR. 

 

[AndreiTomescu]

All you've said is true and accurate. Also @Iorwerth has a point, especially and just regarding to landing: if I have a damaged engine, and due to oil spill the front canopy is blacked, I open the canopy to be able to estimate some landing points. Of course this goes only for sliding canopyes, and it's historically accurate, at least regarding the Hurricane and IAR aircrafts.

Opening a sliding canopy at higher speed (200+ km/h) also makes it impossible to close it back with bare hands, at least in real life.

[peterk1]

Not to mention, you're going to freeze your ass off. Have you noticed the temperatures in Stalingrad and Moscow? What on earth would possess you to open the canopy? The game should have the pilot black out.

I love the Yak. The fuel gauges are on the outside of the plane so you have to open up if you want to be sure of how much gas you have left.  🙂

 

 

[MDzmitry]

35 минут назад, peterk1 сказал:

What on earth would possess you to open the canopy?

40-60° Celsius in La-5's cockpit. Saw veteran interviews where they mention only closing the canopy "to warm up a bit" during winter.

[Avimimus]

16 hours ago, AndreiTomescu said:

Opening a sliding canopy at higher speed (200+ km/h) also makes it impossible to close it back with bare hands, at least in real life.

In the sim too - you have to put the aircraft into a climb to bleed some speed if you want to shut it.

 

8 hours ago, peterk1 said:

Not to mention, you're going to freeze your ass off. Have you noticed the temperatures in Stalingrad and Moscow? What on earth would possess you to open the canopy? The game should have the pilot black out.

Canadians, Russians, Finns, Scandinavians... might be a bit tougher than you think!

[peterk1]

5 hours ago, Avimimus said:

In the sim too - you have to put the aircraft into a climb to bleed some speed if you want to shut it.

 

Canadians, Russians, Finns, Scandinavians... might be a bit tougher than you think!

I AM Canadian. It's -17 outside my house right now. I actually play the game with my windows open at night to get that real authentic Moscow feel.

I'm NOT opening my canopy at 3km up with -20C on the ground.

🙂

Edited January 30 by peterk1

[MDzmitry]

1 час назад, peterk1 сказал:

I'm NOT opening my canopy at 3km up with -20C on the ground.

"In the winter of 1942, Fadeyev, running low on fuel while returning from a reconnaissance mission, landed at the airfield of the Pokryshkin squadron. Already a lieutenant with the Order of the Red Banner on his chest, he astonished the younger pilots with his face, damaged by repeated frostbite. Fadeyev spared no effort, flying with the canopy open in any frost."

[Sashka13]

14 часов назад, peterk1 сказал:

Я обожаю Яка. Датчики топлива расположены снаружи самолёта, так что нужно открывать, чтобы убедиться, сколько топлива осталось. 🙂

 

 

В закрытом кокпите прекрасно видно указатели топлива. Возможно тебе нужно настроить обзор. 

The fuel indicators are clearly visible in the closed cockpit. You may need to adjust the view.

[peterk1]

I'm using TrackIR. I keep trying to make myself tall to look on the wing to see the meters but I keep bumping my head on the top of the canopy. I get it sometimes, but it's a lot of work to find the correct placement.

Not a big deal. The game gives a low fuel warning.

At least it's not like the I-16 where it's hard to see ALL of the instruments!

 

Edited January 30 by peterk1

[MDzmitry]

8 часов назад, peterk1 сказал:

At least it's not like the I-16 where it's hard to see ALL of the instruments!

I found the optimal head placement to be moving back as much as possible. Then just set it as a standard position and you'll at least see like 60-70% of the panel without much hustle.

[Avimimus]

17 hours ago, peterk1 said:

I AM Canadian. It's -17 outside my house right now. I actually play the game with my windows open at night to get that real authentic Moscow feel.

I'm NOT opening my canopy at 3km up with -20C on the ground.

🙂

To be fair. I basically don't fly that high.

[Philthy]

On 1/30/2026 at 3:46 PM, peterk1 said:

What on earth would possess you to open the canopy? 

Standard practice for takeoff and landing per the Pilot's Notes for Spitfire, Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest...

Edited February 3 by Philthy

[Sayan]

31.01.2026 в 08:45, MDzmitry сказал:

установите её в стандартное положение

Прошу прощения, маненько не понял.

Башка уже отодвинута макс. назад. А стандартно-это как ?

[peterk1]

2 hours ago, Philthy said:

Standard practice for takeoff and landing per the Pilot's Notes for Spitfire, Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest...

Yeah, but I was talking about doing it in Russian winters at Moscow and Stalingrad.

Anyways, no big deal. Once we make it to sunny and warm Kuban after turning the tide (any day now I'm getting a pilot out of the Stalingrad career!!!), I too shall be opening my canopies wide open with the rest of you and enjoying the sunny weather.

Edited February 3 by peterk1