Thank you, Spiros! I am certain the canopy is just hidden somewhere... you know, I clean the modelling desk for the new project and then just add stuff on top of stuff during the build. And now with a double build, there's much more things happening so I guess this is the result of it.

Progress report: canopy hasn't been found yet, but haven't really started to look for either, however I accidently found the front of the broken pitot.

Here's a few shots of both aircraft with final weathering applied. I will redo the gunsmoke stains a bit.
Oh and I modified the rear guns of the Dauntless to represent the early version as used during the battle of Midway (removed the shielding, added side mounted ammo boxes and installed a PE sight).

Wildcat

Dauntless

Thank you very much, Spiros! @fiveten

I started cleaning my modelling bench a bit and picked up the Dauntless and its clear parts and guess what! I solved the mystery of the missing piece. While the Dauntless has windshield + 4 sections of canopy, I only had the later 3 and I was convinced that I am missing one. Then I started to investigate and noticed, that actually there are only 3 pieces used in the instruction manual... So I checked the parts diagram and lo and behold, there's only 3 sections! What Flyhawk did was actually using only 3 instead of 4 parts when telescopically slid into each other. Thus, they managed to enable not to thick telescopic assembly of the clear parts and truth be told, it's going to be hard to see, when they are all glued into each other, that one frame is actually missing. The largest canopy part even has one frame moulded on the interior, to simulate one of the missing frames from the part that's not there.

The weathering looks perfect, Sebastijan @inflames
Good to hear that you are not missing a part of the canopy.

Good work, Sebastijan (@inflames). I always seem to find the missing part after I have created a replacement and finished the model. I have seen canopy sections that nest together like yours, but have never tried one. Looking forward to seeing it painted and installed.

@inflames - sorry for that! I didn't know the kit came wanting you to do the wrong thing. But you're talented enough I know it will work and will definitely look better.

Thanks for this info, my friend @tcinla!

Wish I knew before...

...because here is my 1/32 Matchbox (Revell rebox) Dauntless...

(grossly simplified and inaccurate and turning out to have been finished with the - wrong - bluegray - upper shade - should be gray, but Revell instructions and a wrongly edited photo... ...took a toll on Yours Truly color decision...) 🙂

OF COURSE I modeled all dive brakes open! However, the presence of the pilots might have saved my day: they were checking the dive brakes operation with engine running? 🙂 @inflames

Here they are, finished! I will build a small carrier deck base with some figures to give scale and post it as an article on main page.