Grumps123 Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 Can anyone recommend small enough weights that will fit 25g (as recommended) into the space provided in an Airfix B-25? If you can recommend, could you please let me know where from? Thanks in anticipation. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SD45elect2000 Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 I use shotgun pellets, often number 8 bird shot. Randall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerazzurri Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 (edited) For about £9 or £10 I got 1kg of weights that divers use in their belts, very small. From eBay. Or you could spend lots more on Liquid Gravity which is the current vogue buy. Regarding what Airfix put in their instructions - because it says 25g, that doesn't mean 25g will fit; and it certainly doesn't mean that'll be enough. Test fit by adding some and testing it on its centre of balance before sealing things up and leaving yourself no wiggle room. Gavin. Edited June 19 by Gavin-1212362 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul71 Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 i use fishing weights got a few different sizes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerazzurri Posted June 19 Share Posted June 19 (edited) 1 hour ago, Grumps123 said: If you can recommend, could you please let me know where from? Something like this. I must've been lucky, paid a little less. They're very small, so not much wasted space. Gavin. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222526889109?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vb_TNwcRSpS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=mDS1TszWQs6&var=521374323061&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Edited June 19 by Nerazzurri 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumps123 Posted June 19 Author Share Posted June 19 Many thanks all! Great replies. I have found some of the diver weights that Gavin referred to for £11.80. Ordered, hopefully this will solve my issues. Thanks again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 For what it’s worth, I’ve used balls from the local gun shop with superglue. Here, around the cockpit of the Airfix 1/48 Lightning. I’m trying to see if I have added enough. Nothing is cemented together yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 My father-in-law had some old bits of lead piping which I requisitioned. I just cut suitably sized bits of one of them, hammer them into shape and pour a bit of PVA glue over them. Never had a problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jopres57 Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 For 'tail sitting' aircraft models I have sometimes found it handy to use white metal accessories for additional nose weight. Seats, crewmen, and forward undercarriage parts have all come in useful. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumps123 Posted June 22 Author Share Posted June 22 Thanks for all of your suggestions. 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 I didn't realise the lightning would tail sit I've got one but I am doing gear up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 I think the 1/48 version might have problems and indeed the instructions call for 20g : and given the warnings from this Forum, I have decided to add a lot. The shaded areas in the instructions must be possible sites for weight because I’ve added about 40g and still have plenty of space for more. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerazzurri Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Just as a general comment on the topic, for any beginners........and every day is a school day for me too 😁 Any aircraft with tricycle landing gear, I like to place a length of round rod/doweling under the aircraft, with most of the main parts dry fitted, at the line of the main undercarriage. It's not perfect, but it gives you a ball park idea as you add weight in any spaces forward of that line. Gavin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted June 23 Share Posted June 23 On 22/06/2024 at 14:59, Dominic Thomas said: I think the 1/48 version might have problems and indeed the instructions call for 20g : and given the warnings from this Forum, I have decided to add a lot. The shaded areas in the instructions must be possible sites for weight because I’ve added about 40g and still have plenty of space for more. Don't overdo it as the extra weight will push down unnecessarily on the front undercarriage leg and it could end up deforming over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 Good point. I have decided to stop the ‘lead’ ball additions. However, before adding the extra weight, I looked at the nose undercarriage leg. On the 1/48 Lightning, it is quite substantial so hopefully I will get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren-345957 Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 On 20/06/2024 at 00:29, Nerazzurri said: Regarding what Airfix put in their instructions - because it says 25g, that doesn't mean 25g will fit; and it certainly doesn't mean that'll be enough. Test fit by adding some and testing it on its centre of balance before sealing things up and leaving yourself no wiggle room. Gavin. Position of the weights has a big effect and sometimes the suggested weight is too much. The airfix MiG-17, for example, will sit nicely with 4g in the intake splitter rather than the 20g in the instructions. The trouble is it needs a well shaped bit of lead to fill that space to 4g, you can't just pour in some lead shot. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted June 24 Share Posted June 24 That’s an interesting comment. Thanks for pointing it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailorman Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 I'm helping my nephew with a 1:20 scale scratchbuilt Tucano. I'm using a 10cm length of old lead pipe I found in the garage. I had to cut it up and hammer it into shape to fit. Now I will pour either pva glue or resin over the pieces to keep them in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour de Airfix Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 On 19/06/2024 at 17:42, Grumps123 said: Many thanks all! Great replies. I have found some of the diver weights that Gavin referred to for £11.80. Ordered, hopefully this will solve my issues. Thanks again. Please let us know how this works. I’ve built 4 various B-24s over the years and only one I managed to fill enough weight into (using liquid gravity) collapsed its nose wheel and fractured along the cockpit to fuselage join. I ended up removing the weights and sticking the reconstructed front undercarriage to a small base. Airfix’s original kit came with the crew ladder of sufficient length to support the tail and keep the wheels on the ground. Does this new kit provide the same part? Coincidentally, I recall the Airfix Mig-17 being supplied with an oil drum to be placed under the tail with the intention of keeping the nose wheel on the ground; although I again just stuck it to a base - I’m not keen on adding weights any more 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 The cleverest solution is when there is white metal aftermarket landing gear available, which is often heavy enough to hold the nose down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marto Posted August 8 Share Posted August 8 3 minutes ago, john redman said: The cleverest solution is when there is white metal aftermarket landing gear available, which is often heavy enough to hold the nose down. Just a pity it often costs more then the kit its going on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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