F-86 de fois gras

I've just been putting the finishing touches to a 1/72 Academy F-86E. When I put the fuselage together, I took great care to put the recommended amount of ballast in the nose, plus a little bit more.

Since then, I've used Alclad 2 for the natural metal finish and Im really,

*really* pleased with the result. During most of the build, the F-86 has had an old paintbrush stuck up the tailpipe as a handle, but I removed it at intervals to make sure the jet would sit correctly when I finally fitted the undercarriage.

Well, I've just fitted the undercarriage and guess what... Yup! It's a tail-sitter!!!!

AAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I've used a fair few words that I haven't used in years.

Anyway, all is not lost. There is a product called "liquid lead" that I use for adding ballast to the chassis of model railway trucks. It worked well pouring it into the intake of the F-86. As I was doing so, I thought that it must be like force feeding a goose for pate de fois gras! The F-86 now sits correctly on all its wheels!

But I tell you... there were nearly tears before bedtime!!! :-D

Reply to
Enzo Matrix
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Enzo,

What is this "liquid lead" called and where might I get it? I usually put in too much weight to guard against tail-sitting but it might be useful for the odd time when I get it wrong. Does it keep?

Gordon McLaughlin

Reply to
Gordon McLaughlin

Well, the stuff that I have is actually called "Liquid Lead", but I've had it quite some time and I see that it is now called "Fluid Lead" - possibly to stop confusion with a product that can be used on stained glass windows.

The only place that I have seen it available is in the pages of "Model Rail" magazine, direct from the publishers. The latest issue of Model Rail has an advert on page 59. The current price is £11.99 both that will last you ages and ages. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be an internet link.

The stuff *will* keep, because it's not likely to go off. ;-) The "liquid" bit is a misnomer, because it is actually comprised of very tiny lead balls - so tiny that the stuff flows. You simply coat the area to be ballasted with PVA glue and pour the "liquid lead" on, or in...

There is an alternative. Visit your friendly neighbourhood fishing tackle shop and get some lead shot which is used for weighting fishing hooks. No

12 grade is *exactly* the same stuff as liquid lead. I have some of that as well. A 28 gramme pack cost me a quid. If you were to buy an equivalent amount as the container of Liquid Lead, it would cost an awful lot more, but if you are only going to use it occasionally, then a couple of quid's worth should last ages.

Hope this helps.

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

PS. Don't spill any of it on the floor. It's a *bugger* to clean up!!!

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

Walthers sells Pourable lead balls ...

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is likely the same thing.

Reply to
John McGrail

do you have lead balls? no, they would make my pants sag

Reply to
e

the goth chicks would love you because you're toxic. once you get passed the braided pits, 40 noserings and black nail polish.....aaaahhh forget it.

Reply to
e

I hope it isn't one of those that the sufficient amount to hold the nose down is also enough to eventually bend the gear under the weight.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

Not to mention that they would clack when I walk.....

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

I seem to have got the weigh just about right - but more by good luck than good management. If I set the model on the mainwheels and the tailpipe, it will sit like that quite happily. However, if I set it on all three wheels, it will also sit happily. I think the CG is probably a millimetre or so ahead of the main wheels which would mean that whatever moment is provided by the ballast over the nose gear is almost wholly balanced by the moment provided by the tail.

Either way, Im not going to mess about with it any more... but it's worth remembering for the half dozen other F-86s that I have lined up.

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

It made me laugh about the pourable lead balls being HO scale! That's like claiming Milliput is 1/72 scale! :-)

The "moldabe lead" looks interesting.

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

Enzo,

Thanks for the information. Cheapskate that I am, I'll have a look in a fishing shop when I'm next in the town.

I usually use air gun pellets for nose weights. Squashed flat with a pair of pliers, they fit easily into small spaces and can be glued in place or embedded in Plasticine which adds its own weight. So far, I haven't had any undercarriages collapse under the weight but time will tell.

I'm intrigued to see that you have half a dozen more F-86s waiting. What else might we tempt you into? Every variation of the Syphon? Victorian six-wheeled coaches? Industrial saddle tanks? The Lockheed F-80/T-33/F-94 series? Just a thought.

Gord>> Enzo,

Reply to
Gordon McLaughlin

Get thee behind me, Gordon! :-p

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

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