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Wheels up or wheels down?

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  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Atlanta, GA
Wheels up or wheels down?
Posted by Mustang8376 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 11:38 AM

I remember when I use to build modern warplanes in that I would build then wheels up.  I mean... how else are going to fly them around the room????  Now that there is less fo chance of me doing that ( Big Smile ), was debating on building wheels up or down.  I have a 1/48 F-14D, F22, and plans for other planes, that look great in flight, but how to display?  Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Current build: 1/48 Monogram A-1H & AMT Jedi Starfighter.

 


Completed:  1/48 Monogram/Revell P-61B, 1/32 Hasegawa F6F-5, 1/48 Hasegawa F-16C, 1/48 Revell Mig-21PFM, 1/48 Revell/Monogram AH-64A, Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-14D, AMT 1/420 USS Defiant, AMT 1/650(?) USS Enterprise, 1/72 Bandai VF-1J, AMT 1/537 USS Reliant, Academy 1/35 M1-A1 Abrams, Academy 1/48 F-86F30, Linbergh's USS Gato 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Rothesay, NB Canada
Posted by VanceCrozier on Thursday, November 1, 2012 11:43 AM

Clear acrylic rod jammed up their a...  "afterburners" is a good look, but I've yet to try it. I have several that I have simply mounted to a wooden base using brass rod.

On the bench: Airfix 1/72 Wildcat; Airfix 1/72 Vampire T11; Airfix 1/72 Fouga Magister

  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Atlanta, GA
Posted by Mustang8376 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 1:06 PM

I will keep that under consideration, wonder if there is a way to do so without drilling into the model?

Current build: 1/48 Monogram A-1H & AMT Jedi Starfighter.

 


Completed:  1/48 Monogram/Revell P-61B, 1/32 Hasegawa F6F-5, 1/48 Hasegawa F-16C, 1/48 Revell Mig-21PFM, 1/48 Revell/Monogram AH-64A, Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-14D, AMT 1/420 USS Defiant, AMT 1/650(?) USS Enterprise, 1/72 Bandai VF-1J, AMT 1/537 USS Reliant, Academy 1/35 M1-A1 Abrams, Academy 1/48 F-86F30, Linbergh's USS Gato 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 1, 2012 1:14 PM

Halfway retracted is my favorite configuration...

  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Atlanta, GA
Posted by Mustang8376 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 1:29 PM

That is so not right! :)

Current build: 1/48 Monogram A-1H & AMT Jedi Starfighter.

 


Completed:  1/48 Monogram/Revell P-61B, 1/32 Hasegawa F6F-5, 1/48 Hasegawa F-16C, 1/48 Revell Mig-21PFM, 1/48 Revell/Monogram AH-64A, Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-14D, AMT 1/420 USS Defiant, AMT 1/650(?) USS Enterprise, 1/72 Bandai VF-1J, AMT 1/537 USS Reliant, Academy 1/35 M1-A1 Abrams, Academy 1/48 F-86F30, Linbergh's USS Gato 

  • Member since
    November 2009
Posted by artworks2 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 3:20 PM

What's wrong with (in-transit landing geat)? It looks like the plane is either taking off or getting ready to land..

  • Member since
    April 2010
  • From: Atlanta, GA
Posted by Mustang8376 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 3:30 PM

Not a thing, just no there skill wise to do it like that.  Yet it would look nice to do.

Current build: 1/48 Monogram A-1H & AMT Jedi Starfighter.

 


Completed:  1/48 Monogram/Revell P-61B, 1/32 Hasegawa F6F-5, 1/48 Hasegawa F-16C, 1/48 Revell Mig-21PFM, 1/48 Revell/Monogram AH-64A, Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-14D, AMT 1/420 USS Defiant, AMT 1/650(?) USS Enterprise, 1/72 Bandai VF-1J, AMT 1/537 USS Reliant, Academy 1/35 M1-A1 Abrams, Academy 1/48 F-86F30, Linbergh's USS Gato 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Thursday, November 1, 2012 7:52 PM

That's why I like all the old Monogram kits....I got options then.

Glenn

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Thursday, November 1, 2012 9:36 PM

I like gear down, brass rod, up the belly, mounted on a wooden base.  Have done many like that.

Gimme a pigfoot, and a bottle of beer...

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Utereg
Posted by Borg R3-MC0 on Friday, November 2, 2012 3:29 AM

I sometimes build kit with the wheels up, because of deifferent reasons; its easier, the clean lines of the aircraft stay intact etc.

Some (older) kits supply a stand, so when included I use it.

i140.photobucket.com/.../P1040016.jpg

i140.photobucket.com/.../P1030190.jpg

Or I make a stand out of an wire coat hanger.

i140.photobucket.com/.../P1020054.jpg

i140.photobucket.com/.../P1030348.jpg

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Guam
Posted by sub revolution on Friday, November 2, 2012 3:36 AM

I hang them up with fishing lines. Looks pretty awesome when you get a group of them together!

NEW SIG

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Rothesay, NB Canada
Posted by VanceCrozier on Friday, November 2, 2012 8:07 AM

Mustang8376

I will keep that under consideration, wonder if there is a way to do so without drilling into the model?

I'm working on a Su-27 Flanker right now, using a pair of brass rods - I'm running them up through the central weapons pylons instead of adding ordnance there.

On the bench: Airfix 1/72 Wildcat; Airfix 1/72 Vampire T11; Airfix 1/72 Fouga Magister

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: Medford, OR
Posted by OMCUSNR on Friday, November 2, 2012 12:34 PM

OH YEAH!  Fowler flaps extended & gear coming up (make sure you get the oleos the right length & the wheels rotated right).

Grumman Iron Works Fan.

"Don't sweat the small stuff.  And.... it's ALL small stuff, until you hear INCOMING!!!!!!"

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Saturday, November 3, 2012 6:04 AM

I don't hang my planes up,so it's always wheels down for me

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, November 3, 2012 9:46 AM

None of the kits of planes with retracts ever had landing gears in them.  Of course, this was in the day when the kits were balsa, basswood or pine, BP (before plastic).  Even the first plastic kits I built did not have gear if they were retractable planes. I believe a P-80 was the first plastic kit I built.  The kits all included plastic stands, even the kits of fixed gear planes.  Non-flying models were always displayed on stands with plane in flying position.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Saturday, November 3, 2012 12:54 PM

There's a lot of interesting detail in the wheel wells and gear parts of decent kits, so I usually build them "wheels down" to display the details, which of course would remain unseen if built gear up.  

It is interesting to note that the Tamiya 1/32 P-51 Mustang can be displayed either way, and changed back an forth whenever you want after it is completed, due to some clever engineering and concealed screws and magnets and extra gear door parts!

Gimme a pigfoot, and a bottle of beer...

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Sunday, November 4, 2012 11:05 AM

Don Stauffer

None of the kits of planes with retracts ever had landing gears in them.  Of course, this was in the day when the kits were balsa, basswood or pine, BP (before plastic).  Even the first plastic kits I built did not have gear if they were retractable planes. I believe a P-80 was the first plastic kit I built.  The kits all included plastic stands, even the kits of fixed gear planes.  Non-flying models were always displayed on stands with plane in flying position.

Somehow the first sentence of my post got eliminated!  I had said "I got started with scale modeling in the 1940s."

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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