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Which Cold War Aircraft needs noseweight and wich doesn't?


Andre B

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Hi,

 

Sometimes questions showes up concerning noseweights. There must be lot of builders here with experiences so why not making an chart of wich aircraft that needs noseweight and wich doesn't?

 

I will try to update the chart if there is interest...

 

Cheers / André

Edited by Andre B
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Brittish Aircrafts

 

Attacker - Yes

Buccaneer - Yes

Canberra - Yes

Gannet - Yes

Gnat - No

Harrier - No

Hawk

Hunter - Yes

Jaguar - No

Javelin - Yes

Jet Provost - Yes

Lightning - Yes

Meteor - Yes

Scimitar - Yes

Sea Hawk - Yes

Sea Vixen - Yes

Swift

Typhoon - Yes

Vampire

Venom

 

Canadian Aircraft

Avro Arrow

 

US Aircrafts

 

A-3 - Yes

A-4 Skyhawk

A-5 Vigilante

A-6 Intruder - Yes

A-7 Corsair

A-10

 

B-45 Tornado

B-66 - Yes

 

FH-1 Phantom

F2H Banshee - Yes

F3D Skyknight

F3H Demon - Yes (15 g 1/72)

F4D Skyray - Yes (5g 1/72)

F5D Skylancer

F6D Missiler

F6U Pirate

F7U Cutlass

F9F Panther

F10F Jaguar

F11F Tiger - No

 

F-80

F-84

F-86D Sabre (20g 1/48)

F-89

 

F-100 Supersabre

F-101 Voodoo

F-102 Delta Dagger

F-104 Starfighter - No

F-105 Thunderchief

F-106 Delta Dart

F-108 Rapier

F-111 Ardvaark

 

F-4 Phantom - No

F-5

F-6 Skylancer

F-7

F-8 Crusader - No

F-14 Tomcat - No

F-15 Eagle - No

F-16 Falcon - Mostly not...

F/A-18 Hornet - No

F-20

F-21 - No

F-22

F-23

F-35

 

 

Russian Aircrafts

 

Il-28 Beagle

 

MiG-15

MiG-17

MiG-19

MiG-21

MiG-23

MiG-25

MiG-27

MiG-29

MiG-31

 

Su-25 - Yes

 

Swedish Aircrafts

 

J-21

J-29 Tunnan - Yes

J-32 Lansen - Yes

J-35 Draken - Yes

J-37 Viggen - No

JAS-39 Gripen - Yes

 

French Aircraft

 

Mirage III - No

 

 

Edited by Andre B
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MiG-17 1/48  KP/etc  and Trumpeter  a lot!

MiG-15 1/48 Trumpeter with CWS resin tail.. a lot

Su-25 1/48 Monogram yes

 

Edited by exdraken
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Airfix 1/48th:

Lightning, yes,

Hunter, yes, Javelin, yes

Sea Vixen, yes

Buccaneer, yes

Jaguar, no

Tornado, tes

Canberras, yes

Meteor, yes

 

Airfix 1/72th

Jet Provost, yes

Vampire, yes,

Me 262, yes,

Lightning, yes

Phantom, no

MiG 15, yes,

Sabre, yes

B-25 Mitchell, yes

B-26 Marauder, yes

 

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It's so easy to accomplish without a chart. Just tape the major components together until you have a substantially complete airframe. Then plug in some toothpicks or matchsticks in the main gear sockets. Place on your workbench and see if it's tailheavy. Then temporarily affix some weight to the nose or in the cockpit or even in the engine nacelles forward of the main gear until the model is no longer tailheavy. That's how much weight to add in those locations. Add a bit more for insurance. That's all there is to it.

 

Painter's Pyramid stands are great for this purpose instead of toothpicks/matchsticks:

 

88k5870s1.jpg

 

Here's one source:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=57821&cat=2,42194,43390&ap=1

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

It's so easy to accomplish without a chart. Just tape the major components together until you have a substantially complete airframe. Then plug in some toothpicks or matchsticks in the main gear sockets. Place on your workbench and see if it's tailheavy. Then temporarily affix some weight to the nose or in the cockpit or even in the engine nacelles forward of the main gear until the model is no longer tailheavy. That's how much weight to add in those locations. Add a bit more for insurance. That's all there is to it.

 

Painter's Pyramid stands are great for this purpose instead of toothpicks/matchsticks:

 

88k5870s1.jpg

 

Here's one source:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=57821&cat=2,42194,43390&ap=1

 

 

Thanks,

But if one knew one don't need to do that work. And don't have to cut of all parts from the sprues...

Cheers / André

Edited by Andre B
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Revell 48th Tornado (GR4) and Typhoon (Eurofighter) - need it but nowhere near as much as Revell suggest.

 

It would be really helpful if reviewers that say "I used x gm lead to prevent tail sitting" would then say if this was a reasonable amount, was the result really nose heavy, about right or not enough.

Edited by kingcanberra
Qualify which versions
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7 hours ago, Andre B said:

Thanks,

But if one knew one don't need to do that work. And don't have to cut of all parts from the sprues...

Cheers / André

The instructions for most kits produced within the last 10-15 years indicate how much weight to add (I usually add more just in case), Each modeler has a different idea of what to use for weights, and amounts can vary accordingly. And you have to cut the parts from the sprues anyway!

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What many modellers fail to realise when adding weight to the model is to take into the consideration the stress added to the undercarriage, especially nosewheels, you either need to add reinforcement to the undercarriage or consider buying replacement undercarriage made from white metal or brass

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3 minutes ago, Space Ranger said:

The instructions for most kits produced within the last 10-15 years indicate how much weight to add (I usually add more just in case), Each modeler has a different idea of what to use for weights, and amounts can vary accordingly. And you have to cut the parts from the sprues anyway!

Yes, but when it comes to older kits it doesn't. And it's sometimes good to let parts stay on sprues as long as possible and not loose or damage them. I made this thread for those builders who are interested in knewing if they need noseweight of not...

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1 minute ago, rayprit said:

What many modellers fail to realise when adding weight to the model is to take into the consideration the stress added to the undercarriage, especially nosewheels, you either need to add reinforcement to the undercarriage or consider buying replacement undercarriage made from white metal or brass

Good point.

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1 minute ago, Andre B said:

Yes, but when it comes to older kits it doesn't. And it's sometimes good to let parts stay on sprues as long as possible and not loose or damage them. I made this thread for those builders who are interested in knewing if they need noseweight of not...

You don't need to remove every part, just the major airframe components: Fuselage, wings, tail surfaces, occasionally an interior tub, and anything aft of the main gear such as a jet engine (I'm thinking here of some kits, such as those from Trumpeter, which include complete jet engines that will never be seen). It's not rocket science.

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6 hours ago, rayprit said:

What many modellers fail to realise when adding weight to the model is to take into the consideration the stress added to the undercarriage, especially nosewheels, you either need to add reinforcement to the undercarriage or consider buying replacement undercarriage made from white metal or brass

Actually no. not quite. Unless you've added a heap more weight that you needed to prevent tail sitting, the added weight on the nose wheel SHOULD be fairly small, the main undercarriage wheels should be taking the most of it, as the weight added up front is being balanced out by what was causing the model to be a tail sitter in the first case. To my mind, a good reason not to add more than is necessary.

Steve.

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SAAB aircraft: All with nosewheel need noseweight. That is Draken (not so much), Tunnan (plenty!!!), Lansen, J 21, Gripen, Saab 105 (all three normal).

 

But there is one exception: Saab Viggen (any brand) does not need any noseweight (unless you don't fill the rear part with tons of resin).

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As mentioned on here previously.....

 

https://hobby.uk.com/materials/plastic/styrene-rod/triangular.html

 

Painted Rubber Black, glued to wheels, looks like Chocks. 

 

I put these on the wheels, a bit of weight at the front.  Seems to solve most issues.

 

 

As per the above list

1/72 Revell Meteor - Yes

1/72 Revell Vampire - Yes

1/72 Airfirx Gnat - No

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I built a British Phantom from Hasegawa kit (1/48 scale). Normally Phantoms don't need extra weight but in this case heavy resin jet pipes and FG.1's long nose landing gear leg dictated otherwise. Lead was needed.

 

Antti

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