Seen a recent topic on the “weighty issue”, something that has been on my mind is the search for a definitive list of Nose weight/ballast to put in 1/72 scale aircraft, especially Cold War Era ones as well as B-24, B-25, B-26 bombers that are almost all “Tail Sitters“ if left unbalanced.
Various makes have recommended nose weights in the instructions, but seems that they are often underweight and after closing up fuselage halves, one will need to break it open to adjust more weight.
My method is to top up the recommended weight on the instructions by 33% to be safe and sure, I use lead pellets and glue them inside the nose cavity, but due to space limitations and design issues with nose intake aircraft, MiG-15 to 21 series and F-86 etc., there is little room to add substantial weight. So is there a definitive list out there that one can make quick reference to so to save time troughing through the web?
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A list of?
There’s Osmium. Or platinum.
But if you’re not into exotic metals, let’s take the Monogram or Revell B-25 for example since I have a few of those.
You can add more weight to the nacelles. Or between the cockpit floor and the fuselage. Also metal landing gear may help, but probably not that much. And I’d use Milliput, not glues, for the lead weights.
I have the Monogram B-24 as well. I remember using the ladder or a brace in the back to hold it up when i was a kid. I plan to add as much weight as I can forward of the main gear when I convert it into a C-87. We’ll see if it works. If not, the truck next to the open cargo doors will probably have to help out,
Or you can always pin the front wheel to the base.
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There is no list of where or weight for kits that I have seen. 18Bravo covered most of the work arounds, you could on the jets mention possible wrap lead foil around the intake to add weight.
There’s also tungsten putty, used for ecologically safe fishing weights and to add weight to (or change the weight distribution of) Pinewood Derby cars, which would be more space-filling than lead foil.
There is also a product called Three Green Nose Weight: it is easily used as it is a kind of paste that doesn’t harden.
Someone has found a new way to market plumber’s putty.
shouldn’t plumbers putty harden?
If it does, it takes ages. I just replaced my sink putty - the plumber never even installed the three tightening thumb screws when he replaced out garbage disposal five years ago, and it began to leak as a result. Putty underneath was still flexible,
I do not know if it is the same product. It is a rather heavy stuff though. Just what you want for tight spaces…
