Cessna 172- intentional taildragger

use bird shot from any gun store.  5-6 shot=1BB

One of the things that kept my ARII 1/36 172 on the back burner (beyond the scarcity of the kit) was the thought that casting a nose plug for the nose weight was going to be dicey, particularly with the scanty nose gear.

In looking at the Minicraft one, I'd be sore tempted to recast the engine in brittania or lab metal to get some weight up there.

I bored out the hole that the prop sits in, and bored a hole in the spinner.  Filled those spaces with bits of lead, plus added some more in the carb intake and cooling inlet holes.  The bits show a bit, even though I painted area with flat black, but that is about the best I can do.  It sits on nose wheel, but barely- slight touch sets it back on tail :-(

I assume it will sit still long enough to get a few pictures today.

I have the float version of this bird, and was surprised how 'tail-focused' the weight seemed to be even with the floats on it.  Can't wait to see your detailed version, the engine is a nice unit w/o any mods.

Gene Beaird,

Pearland, Texas

Title was wrong- I meant unintentional tail dragger.  I am cutting lead weights (fishing line sinkers) to small pieces to cram into remaining areas.  BBs too big for available areas.  Can't use base because I built this OOB and want to enter it in that category. I even bored out the spinner and put lead in that.  Last night when I left it on bench it was teetering on main gear. I have one more decal to apply, to nose wheel pant, so hope that will be enough of a forward bias!

I will be building another where I will add stuff, and not use nose weights, so I can show cowl open and super detail the engine. I WILL use a base for that to keep nosewheel on ground.  

Put a tail wheel and Alaska tundra tires on it and make it a proper tail dragger. : )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24526864@N03/4729783882/

Try using Daisy BB's for weights.  They're small enough to cram through the propeller shaft hole, and perhaps fill up the inside of the engine block.  Good luck!

Hey, Don, maybe it'll be easier to make a display base and glue it down?

Glenn