Whew! The PVA release agent worked beautifully. After releasing the canopy locking pins, and a small amount of pulling on the left forward edge, I could hear the skirt breaking free from the fuselage in the corner. A slight outward pull and the entire left side released. Then, a slight upward pull on the left side and the entire canopy broke free; and my concerns about a new yard ornament evaporated.
The three photos below show how the penetration of the epoxy/ground fiberglass mixture penetrated when forced into the gap from the outside. The bigger the gap, the further it penetrated.
This is only the start. There is much work needed to get the inside of the skirt to an acceptable appearance.
