jefropas Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I know this should be posted in the tips section, but I also know many on this forum don't make it over there as often as we like. Anyway, its a dilemma most F-16 builders have had for a while, so I used an idea from an old FSM article on the F-106 and modified it to the F-16. The wheels I'm talking about are the current type outfitted to the A, ADF, MLU's, and C's. There are tons of pics available (see Dave Cook's from the wheel shop somewhere on this board) . The conversion takes a short while, and, while not perfect, really works quite well. At least until the aftermarket catches up, which I know they are working on. Anyway, here it is, as easy as it can be explained by me. 1. Get a highly detailed pic of the wheel taken from head on. Mine is from an 183rd jet. 2. Reduce its size via photcopier to fit on a styrene disk, cut to fit, just within the outermost wheel rim on the Hasegawa wheel. 3. Take the disk image, glue it to the disk (I used white glue smeared on entire disk). Take the Hasegawa wheel, paint the hub white, then glue the imaged disk onto it. Some smoothing might be needed of the edges. Coat the new hub with Future, touch up the white if necessary. Paint the tire black, and voila! It's far from perfect, and may be 2 dimensional (add a small piece of cut off round sprue for the hubcap if you wish), but it really looks the part. I'll probably use the 3 sets I've made so far before the aftermarket catches up. Here it is on a Nellis aggressor I'm rebuilding from an old F-16N. Best of Luck. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Walker Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Well, why didn't I think of that..... Up there for dancing , Mate!! Well done. M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jefropas Posted April 25, 2007 Author Share Posted April 25, 2007 Must be that pure Wisconsin water.... Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Walker Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Hmmm, the water here in "this" part if WI is quite horrid!!! Wish we could have brought some Sydney water, but then Sydney hasn't got much to spare..... M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 hmm... i just got an idea for that... brb! drPepper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jefropas Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 I tell Dr. Pepper, you could do it pretty quickly, very well, and I know your service is excellent, there are PLENTY of people hungry for this part(s). And you charge a fair amount for your stuff, go for it!! Please.... Matt, Lake Michigan water is the best, as for the rest of the state, I've had good luck so far....just don't pick up a Rhinelander beer if you know what's good for you! Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Very nice Jeff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 will post pics tonight. i took your idea, but went a step further - instead of stopping at a printed one, i've imprinted and carved the holes onto styrene. the wheel speed sensor cover needs to be duplicated from another wheel hub, but as it stands, things look good. Do you guys want it for the Tamiya kit, Hasegawa kit, or both? i think i might be able to churn out blk 30, 40 wheels for both kits. post pics when i get back tonight Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 That would be just fantastic. I particularly need them for the Hasegawa. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 ok, here's some progress. i took all the F-16 wheels i could find to do a comparison. from the data from Michelin at http://www.airmichelin.com/pdfs/MIL_F16X.pdf, the F-16 blk 30 wheel is 25.5", and the blk 40/50 wheel is 27.75" in diameter. picture: clockwise from top left: hasegawa blk 50 wheel, tamiya blk 50 wheel, hasegawa A/B wheels, hasegawa F-2 kit wheels, and the blk 30 wheel i made. you can see that the hasegawa wheels and the Tamiya wheels are quite different in size, and from the data above, dividing by 48: the Tamiya blk 50 wheel is spot on, while the hasegawa wheels are woefully small. the hasegawa A/B wheels don't even measure 25.5" in scale, so i don't know where they got their measurements from. What i'll be doing: i'll be taking the WSS from the tamiya blk 50 wheel and implanting it into my wheel hub. for accuracy, i will only use the tamiya sized wheels, so they will require some fitting to fit onto Hasegawa kits. drPepper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j-basset Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Looking good, Doc! :) I remember reading in this forum somewhere a while back that the Hasegawa 1/48 F-16 is closer to 1/50 scale. That may account for the variance, but that's just a wild guess. Jason Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jefropas Posted April 26, 2007 Author Share Posted April 26, 2007 Doc, Those look great! I'm glad my post got some people's "wheels" turning. I think it would be great to make all those different types of wheels. Can you please post a pic of the Block 30 wheel alone, its kind of hard to see in the pic being all white. I will load up my Paypal account ASAP!! Thank you very much. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted April 26, 2007 Share Posted April 26, 2007 Doc,Those look great! I'm glad my post got some people's "wheels" turning. I think it would be great to make all those different types of wheels. Can you please post a pic of the Block 30 wheel alone, its kind of hard to see in the pic being all white. I will load up my Paypal account ASAP!! Thank you very much. Jeff it's in the casting pot.. doing a mold. so that i don't lose it and have to redo it or something... Jason - what's the status on your wheels? don't want to be clashing with you. drPepper Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lucio P. Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Please made ‘em!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Netz Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 (edited) Edited April 29, 2007 by Netz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
doctorpepper Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 wheels done - side by side comparison with hasegawa's blk 50 wheels now to cast up this half, join it together, and put a bulge at the bottom like it was weighted... maybe even figure a way to attach brakes to the hasegawa gear? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scot M Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 (edited) Man thats awesome Doc...... As soon as SWMBO let's me I'll be sending you a $100 bill, cuz' you have MANY things I need . Edited April 29, 2007 by Scot M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jefropas Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Looks great Doc, just what I was trying to make myself!! Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Fantastic! I'll definitely buy a couple of sets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Necesity is a mother of an inventor. Nice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.