Jump to content

Any tips for achieving an even weighted look to aircraft wheels?


Recommended Posts

How do you all achieve that weighted look on your aircraft wheels (non-aftermarket, of course)? Do you use a jig of some form to get an even flat spot on the wheels or do you just go to,town with a sanding stick/file?

Thanks!

Rob

Link to post
Share on other sites

I heat styrene tyres over a tea candle and then push them gently against the desk top. It's guess work as to when the plastic is soft enough and how much to push to give the tyre enough of a flat spot, but I like this approach because it gives the tyre some bulge around the flattening where sanding does not.

Practice has led to satisfactory results but early in the piece this method led to some builds going wheels up, when the tyres went to far out of shape or became uneven.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Rob,

here is a technique I have used with some success: Placing the finished kit on a hot stovetop.

Sounds silly but works quite well. I first tried it on a Revell Ju 290.

1. At first, place some aluminum foil over the stovetop (to prevent your wheels sticking to it).

2. Then heat it to the lowest setting possible.

3. Place your kit on the stove. ATTENTION: Keep your eyes on the kit! It may take only seconds to achieve the flattening of the tyres. Better lift your kit too early than too late.

4. If the flattening is not pronounced enough for your liking, repeat step 3.

This technique is especially useful if your kit has a lot of wheels (like an airliner or a big transport) as it ensures that all of them touch the ground evenly.

I've never tried it with resin wheels but it should work equally well. Another advantage is that you can do this after painting (the wheels) as it doesn't damage the paint.

Just remember to place your kit for no longer than a few seconds on the stove.

Cheers

Markus

Edited by Shorty84
Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't do it at all on modern jets, and even on WW II subjects. Why not? Well, I am a bit lazy for the WW II ones, but for modern jets there is very little flattening evident for the tires. On the CF-18, for example, the main tire pressure is 250 psi. The nose wheels are about 200 or 210 (I forget the exact number). Those tires show zero bulging in the sidewalls, and very, very, little flattening. I have pictures to prove it.

All I'm saying is if you really want to do it, be careful not to overdo the effect, especially on modern fighters with their extremely high pressure tires.

ALF

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you are confident that the landing gears are strong enough, you may try the following. After the model is completed, you can take a sheet of sandpaper (~400 grit) and lay it flat on a hard and flat surface (I use double sided tape). You can find such sheets at Home Depot or similar hardware stores. Then, you can place your model on the sandpaper and gently move it back and forth. You can easily control the downward force. It may take between 5-10 minutes to achieve the look you want. This worked well on a few models I have built.

However, based on the landing gears' construction, if I deem they will be too fragile, I take the wheels before they are painted, press the hubs against each other, and slide them back and forth on a sanding stick while trying to keep the wheels perpendicular to t the stick.

I also like Markus' suggestion of a hot stovetop but never tried it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you look at photos of aircraft, especially modern jets parked, you normally can't see the bottom of the tires due to wheel chocks. Revell flattened the tires on their 1/48 scale F-15E kit, but they don't looks bulged. When the jets are taxiing, they aren't bulged, flat on the bottom, etc. Most modern stuff isn't bulged. I have an old F-16 tire that was taken out of service because it needed replaced. The sidewalls are so strong, that I can't even move the tire at all when trying to "push the tread together." WWII stuff is bulged, because their tires were big, fat, and wide. The technology obviously didn't exist that we have now. I guess my point is that I see no need to bulge the tires. I don't know why I'm even posting here, because I build most of my models gear up. HA!!! To each his own, I say.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...