My belief is that the canopy itself is an easy device to model.  It is solid, hinged at one point and has a huge surface area.  The stories about not being able to close or open the canopy indicate massive forces at equilibrium for those that did not move.  the gas springs are minor players with a small lever effect compared to 120k and 310HP at play on the canopy.  I ignore the tail since it is after the canopy and is a separate analysis and does not affect the canopy forces.

If one could simply determine the characteristics of the canopy with airspeed and AOA, then you have 90% of the answers.  I think it is a pretty simple exercise.

The "your plane, your life" stuff has nothing to do with trying to understand the physics involved although it makes for an exciting read.

Paul

Probably not true.  The canopy system includes the gas springs which hold it open on the ground, and the spring constant and damping coefficient of those gas springs are largely unknown, variable, and thus difficult to model.