Nose weight for tricycle landing gear aircraft

[SirFrancis]

Hey guys.... I've got a really bad habit of forgetting the nose weight on tri-gear aircraft. Any tricks post construction to remedy this? I made a small base painted like a runway for a vampire. I've squeezed blu-tack inside the front wheel well on a P-39 as the space was large (Actually that was a diecast model - not my fault lol). I recall gluing some tiny slivers from a lead sinker into the front well of a Hunter. But couple of others (Mig-15, Yak23) there's not much room in the wheel well. So apart from bases which I don't really want to do, any other ideas? cheers

 

[SirFrancis]

Hey guys.... I've got a really bad habit of forgetting the nose weight on tri-gear aircraft. Any tricks post construction to remedy this? I made a small base painted like a runway for a vampire. I've squeezed blu-tack inside the front wheel well on a P-39 as the space was large (Actually that was a diecast model - not my fault lol). I recall gluing some tiny slivers from a lead sinker into the front well of a Hunter. But couple of others (Mig-15, Yak23) there's not much room in the wheel well. So apart from bases which I don't really want to do, any other ideas? cheers

Well I just came up with a plan for the Yak23. I drilled a small hole in the exhaust nozzle and am going to insert a couple of nails through there. Just have to grind the nail heads off. I'll coat them in some glue so they grab and don't rattle around. It actually looks better with the exhaust hole than with it plugged so win win. Actually this should work for the MiG15 and Vampire as well....

 

[GrauGeist]

Years ago, I built a Heinkel He280 and completely forgot to check to see if it would sit square as the kit was nearing completion.

So of course, I get it all finished and discovered it was tail-heavy.

Since it was going to be displayed on a glass shelf, my options were limited.

After some time, I discovered that I could get her to sit properly by replacing the nose gear's tire with a hand-shaped piece of lead.

It worked perfectly and no one was the wiser!

 

[SirFrancis]

Years ago, I built a Heinkel He280 and completely forgot to check to see if it would sit square as the kit was nearing completion.

So of course, I get it all finished and discovered it was tail-heavy.

Since it was going to be displayed on a glass shelf, my options were limited.

After some time, I discovered that I could get her to sit properly by replacing the nose gear's tire with a hand-shaped piece of lead.

It worked perfectly and no one was the wiser!

Ahh that's a good idea!

 

[pbehn]

You can buy lead wire down to 0.4mm in dia. This could easily be pushed in a small drilled hole.

 

[SirFrancis]

You can buy lead wire down to 0.4mm in dia. This could easily be pushed in a small drilled hole.

Yes I was thinking of something like soldering wire, that would be handy for a nose wheel prop plane.

 

[GrauGeist]

Prior to assembly, you can fit fishing weights into the nose area or near the firewall/ahead of the cockpit as space allows.
Depending on the scale, you may even be able to fill the nosewheel (if it's two piece) with lead rope.

My hand fashioning a nosewheel out of lead was a last-ditch effort, but had I had the foresight, I could have slipped some lead in the nose, beneath the MG151/20 cannon before final assembly of the fuselage.

 

[PBPICS]

If you're permanently mounting the plane on a base you could drill a hole into the bottom of the front wheel and the base then use either a metal rod of the same diameter or spru and ca glue to keep it from coming apart. ( hope this makes sense…it's 1:40 AM in Minnesnowta, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it)

 

[SirFrancis]

If you're permanently mounting the plane on a base you could drill a hole into the bottom of the front wheel and the base then use either a metal rod of the same diameter or spru and ca glue to keep it from coming apart. ( hope this makes sense…it's 1:40 AM in Minnesnowta, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it)

Actually a tiny drop of silicon or even PVA glue on the nose wheel does the trick, and then if I don't like it mounted on a base its easy to get the silicon / PVA off... as I plan to do with the Vampire.

 

[PBPICS]

Actually a tiny drop of silicon or even PVA glue on the nose wheel does the trick, and then if I don't like it mounted on a base its easy to get the silicon / PVA off... as I plan to do with the Vampire.

Better idea than mine. Thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind for the future. I've got a bunch to learn…a reason that I enjoy this site, I learn something new every time I'm on here.

 

[GrauGeist]

Regarding dioramas, a friend used to build wonderful dioramas and his subjects (he built aircraft and armor) were removable.

He used magnets to hold his subjects in place that had just enough "grip" to hold the model stationary, but would allow him to remove the model for cleaning and such.

 

[PBPICS]

Regarding dioramas, a friend used to build wonderful dioramas and his subjects (he built aircraft and armor) were removable.

He used magnets to hold his subjects in place that had just enough "grip" to hold the model stationary, but would allow him to remove the model for cleaning and such.

Another awesome idea. I might've come up with that one if I wasn't up at 2ish AM and if I thought about that long enough. (Maybe a week or…)

 

[GrauGeist]

To be honest, I would have never thought of using magnets.

Then again, I'm not the brightest light on the christmas tree, either!

 

[PBPICS]

To be honest, I would have never thought of using magnets.

Then again, I'm not the brightest light on the christmas tree, either!

I've use them for some appliances…but it calls for switching gears and as they say in pharmacology…it's an "off label " useage.

 

[TheRealMrEd]

Far too easy .....Museum glue(wax)

Ed

 

[Gary Davis]

Now that stuff looks good. I think it could be used for mock-up situations too...maybe? Well...I went in and bought some. I think it might be better than the sticky tack that I use now....... At least I hope soooo.