Why do modern jets have clamshell canopies

[Radish]

Thinking of jets like the A-10....it looks so much nicer than the clamshell one fitted, and my kit'll have a sliding canopy in its RAF colours.
So there.
But why?

[seavixen]

The main reason is that the 'clamshell' type seal against the windscreen much more efficiently than the sliding type.  

[upnorth]

I think the slipstream also catches and carries them away better than sliding ones when they are jettisoned.

I think it would be kind of cool to see an F-16 with the forward section of the canopy sliding forward on rails.

[Sentinel Chicken]

Then you'll like what EADS planned for the canopy of the proposed Mako trainer:

[B777LR]

That looks ugly! I prefer the mig 21 canopy then.

[Shasper]

I prefer Side-folding ala F-104 for the Mako.

Shas B)

[elmayerle]

F-35 canopy is forward hinged like the early MiG-21s.

[GTX]

Evan,

I have also seen pictures showing the F-35 with a side hinging canopy - what's the go?  Was this an earlier itteration?

Regards,

Greg

[elmayerle]

Side-hinged was the X-35 which used available hardware.  The front hinge has a reason on the production bird, but it makes certain aspects of my life a bloody pain.

[Radish]

OK then.
Thanks for all that.
I do prefer the "look" of sliding canopies on ceretain aircraft like the A-10.
An F-16 single-seater might look cool too.
For sure...my A-10 in RAF colours will have a sliding canopy....just wait for the JMNs to tell me it's wrong and not spot the fact that it's RAF!

[Jennings]

An F-16 single-seater might look cool too.

Except it would sheer the pilot's upper body and the ejection seat in two when it opened.  Other than that it'd be a great idea

J

[Radish]

Ha, yeah!!
Need to have a standard windscreen then, eh