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How to solidify weak landing gears on a plane

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  • Member since
    January 2014
How to solidify weak landing gears on a plane
Posted by JayF on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 12:18 PM

Hello

Is there a way to solidify landing gears on an aircraft without sacrificing details ? Currently I'm building a Seafire in 1/48 scale, and both front landing gears are weak to the point that the fuselage is too heavy and is almost sagging.

Sure I may blame the extremely short pins that you must attach to the wing undersides, but even with a lot of glue that has cured for more than 24 hours it is still very fragile.

This very same thing happened with a Messerschmitt BF 109 in 1/72 scale that I built a while ago and is now lying on it's belly ...  Sad

What can I do to strengthen them ? Any ideas ?

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 12:26 PM

To late now but you can add a brass pin at the gear attach point by drilling a hole in the gear well, sticking the pin in, then drilling a hole in the center of the gear leg and slide it over the pin, then glue the gear leg to the model with regular liquid cement. Use superglue or epoxy to glue in the brass pin. You are using solvent glues right?

 

 

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 12:53 PM

I've fixed broken ones by inserting small high tensile wire into holes bored into the shaft.  I always threaten to do that in the initial construction but unless it's a big bird I usually skip it and hope for the best.  

There are metal aftermarket gears for many kits but they are kinda pricy.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 12:58 PM

What you are getting at is the leg-wing joint is weak.

Other than the above suggestions, you can add a prop underneath with a piece of clear rod.

In the grand scheme of things it might be easier than a lot of knee surgery.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Lyons Colorado, USA
Posted by Ray Marotta on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 1:56 PM

I think part of your problem may be "a lot of glue."   With glues, especially solvent based glues, more is never better...

 ]

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by JayF on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 9:20 PM

Most of the time I'm using these two types of glue :

the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement (my all time favorite all-purpose glue)

and the Testors Cement in the red tube

I must admit it's when the parts didn't hold together that I add more and more glue ...

Thanks for your answers, I'll try the pin or wire suggestion

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 9:37 PM

Small paper clips work very well for landing strut reinforcement. I also save garbage bag and bread bag twist ties and use those for brake lines.  ;)

The twist ties that come with brand new electronics and the clear ones that come with toys in blister packs are very nice to save also. They're all different thicknesses.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 9:38 PM

I have broken more landing gear during painting and masking that I care to admit.  Just the weight of my hand on top of the wing while trying to apply masking tape is enough to snap them…

I am now building a 1/48 BF-109 and I decided to buy metal landing gear.  I then cemented them in place with a generous amount of epoxy into the landing gear wells,  sunk them deeply into a 1/4" deep glob of epoxy.  It is visible if  you turn it up side down and examine the wells with a flashlight, but who cares?  Those gear are not gonna break off!

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

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by VN750 on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 10:25 PM

Antennas, pitots, landing gear.........At some point I will call a model finished and go to the next one.   Just reworked a 262 and broke one of the landing gears.  They were moveable gears now only one moves.  you'll get better at it and the problems while not going away entirely will recede.

I've noticed that the more experienced modelers here sequence their work flow a certain way.  I'm still learning it.  

  • Member since
    February 2014
  • From: N. MS
Posted by CN Spots on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 10:39 PM

Jay,  if it's still kinda soft, like the glue is not quite cured, set it aside for a few days and work on something else.  It could be that there is some trapped glue in a pocket that can't get air and just needs some extra time to cure.  Keep the weight off of it and see if it sets.

-when I was writing this I imagined someone over on webMD writing almost the same thing about a sprained ankle. lol

  • Member since
    June 2013
Posted by RobGroot4 on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 11:22 PM

While too late for your current build, I install landing gear at the end, right before ordnance and pitot tubes and other tiny external bits because I WILL break them off in some way shape or form.  I also try to dry fit with the weight of the aircraft beforehand just in case.

Groot

"Firing flares while dumping fuel may ruin your day" SH-60B NATOPS

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