GASMAN I think you are misinformed on the RV 14 canopy release. If you look at the enclosed pictures when the pins are pulled inboard by the release mechanism the canopy hinge will be able to move straight up out of its slot.
From previous articles on tip up canopy accidental inflight openings the aft part of the canopy moves up from the negative pressure above it, think top of a wing. It is very hard if not impossible to close once opened. It is safe to assume that if there were no pin holding the front of the canopy down, the whole canopy would get sucked up by the same physics. Once this happens the big question is will it catch air in the front and tumble rearward or something else. Helmets highly recommended I would say.
The Canopy is held in place to the roll bar by the aft locking pins. This would keep the aft part of the canopy from initially moving up during the jettison process resulting in the front of the canopy being pulled up by negative pressure. The front of the canopy would now catch air and create even more of an upward and aft tumble of the canopy. The Aft locking pins would pull out of the holes as the canopy pivoted up. Between the negative pressure above and the positive pressure created by catching air the canopy should have a pretty good upward vector with an associated aft tumble. I believe this should get it above the tail.
The associated pitch down that folks have reported with tip up canopy inflight opening I believe is a result of the change in aerodynamics from the canopy in effect either pushing the nose down on the hinge or changing airflow over the horizontal tail. This nose down pitch has been reported as pretty strong. This demonstrates the strength of the upward pull on the canopy. Will the airplane pitch down if the whole canopy departs? Not sure but a certain amount of downward pitch moment might help to clear the tail from the aft and upward moving canopy. WWII German pilots used to trim nose down to facilitate bailing out. They would depart the aircraft almost as if in ejection seats ending up above the aircraft. See below.
If one is in a situation where they are having to bail out, chances are its from severe damage or uncontained fire and knowing how to “properly” fly the airplane in unusual attitudes will not help if the airplane is uncontrollable. Same thing if one can't put a fire out. Once uncontrolled having the tail hit or not will probably not add much more to the situation. You would be leaving any way. If one is tumbling it just might change the tumble but keep going. Without the canopy and canopy forward and side frame, a large part of your body in the RV14 is above remaining airplane structure, and you have a high chance of being thrown from a wildly out of control aircraft vs stuck in it.
It appears a lot of folks associate damage to the rudder with uncontrolled pitch down. This would only happen if the horizontal stab or empennage was torn of from said impact. Rudder damage to a small aircraft can result in a flyable airplane. Land able…. Not so sure. But definitely bail out able. I am willing to bet my life on it.
For a cool video on a BUFF with the rudder torn off see bellow.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/news/a27584/b-52-landed-without-a-tail-fin/
So It actually kind of is the case of pulling the T handle and jumping. You state something about releasing the overhead latch. That’s pre RV14. But even with earlier model numbers the overhead latch would just create a beneficial pitch point to get the front of the canopy moving up. Releasing it would create a nose down pitch acerbating a bad situation. I highly recommend NOT doing this. The Canopy latches DO NOT need to be unlocked to jettison the canopy as I believe in pre RV14s they are similar pins that go into the rollbar. I could be corrected on this.
I personally would accomplish a bail out by pulling the T handle and then releasing the seatbelt throw the shoulder harnesses behind and then try to do a jump straight up.
If the aircraft is controllable, I would take time to trim as far nose down as I could safely go to facilitate a jump.
If the up and out option was a no go then rolling down over the trailing edge of the wing would be plan B.
https://youtu.be/0sd6R0aBJkE
Having some kind of retractable reel that is hard connected to the aircraft and clipped to one's rip cord might facilitate parachute opening in case of incapacitation on the way out.
If we could find a RC enthusiast and crowd fund buying a large scale RV 14 model that could be configured to do a canopy jettison ala the real aircraft it would be an interesting test to show actual aerodynamics in action on a jettison. Film it with a slow motion camera and we would have a neat YouTube video. Maybe even make some money for the maker.