Hello all…I am thinking about hanging soem fo my 1/48 scale models from the ceiling in my sons room.
Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about this? I
I was just going to tie fishing line around the tail section of the fuselage and nose.
Way I do it is a cup hook screwed into the ceiling. Next take a long piece of monofilament (fishing line) and tie the two ends together to make a big circle. Next take the circle and flatten it out. now grab the middle of the flattened line and tie a loop there. You now have a loop on top with two larger loops hanging down. To hang the model, slip one end of the long loop under the nose, the other under the tail. Hang by the small loop. This method keeps the model from sliding in the loops and falling if it swings from air flow, etc. I have some out in the garage done this way and they spin and swing all over from the wind without any problems.
I do something similar to Heavy Arty; I use cup hooks in the ceiling, but I tie directly to the model, fore and aft. Then I hold the model up by the line and determine where I want it to hang; I use a pencil to mark the spot and then screw in the cup hook. I then loop the line 3 times over the cup hook…keeps it from slipping and shifting.
Lighter models might shift a little, but the heavier (bigger) a/c shouldn’t.
I have also seen a method whereby two or three lines of monofiliment are strung tightly from wall to wall, usually on a diagonal so it won’t look so symetrical, and the planes are suspended on short loops of monofiliment from the lines. I was dubious when I read about this method, but I saw it in practice at a friend’s house, and it works well, makes the planes easy to adjust in relation to each other. You know – one climbing, the one next to it in a chandelle, another diving. The effect is very good. It is best when you have a large volume of models to get off the shelves and into realistic poses.
tom
I’m into the cup hook and fishing line also. I only use the fishing line for heavier models like the PB4Y-1 and the Fw-200, the lighter builds get .04 or .05 invisible thread.
I’ll loop an end around each engine on multi-engine jobs and a third at the tail, bring them all together, adjust for angle of attack and tie them off in a big old granny knot before hanging.
Thanks for the help guys.
I am always impressed with the different techniques and the knowledge shown.
One word to say about hanging models-dust. Don’t you just hate it? Gary
Texgunner:
Dust? Heck![^] That’s just Mother Nature’s way of helping to “weather” your aricraft! [:O]
Sure, you have to work at it a little with some research: What color is the dust? Can this be used to depict flying through a desert sandstorm? A winter blizzard? An Arizona dust-storm? [xx(]
[8D]See…it opens a whole new world of possiblilities![;)]
“Should we prosper it shall be as is our custom…by Miracle!”[4:-)]
Very true, dust sucks. What I do is use a ladies blush brush (wide soft makeup brush) to get the majority of the dust off and then blow with canned air. Seems to work well. 
No, it’s not my brush, I stole it from my sister-in-law. [:D]
heh-heh, yeah “right”. and you only use it when you’re home alone, relaxing, right? Good idea! Gary
Hey! I just noticed…100 posts. well, I’m gettin’ there.
A strong wind is all that is required. I get out my can of compressed air and just ‘blow hard’.
Texgunner - congrats on becoming a centurion.
After breaking too many guns, antenna masts/wires and pitor tubes, I’ve found a quick dunking in cold water is the best way to wash away the dust. Just dunk and air dry. Doesn’t even loosen canopies using water-based adhesives.
I use thumb tacks and paint them the color of the ceiling… along with the fishing line, so it hide the fishing line a bit better and I use Ice fishing fishing/fly tippets line because its VERY VERY thin, and can hold up to 2 lbs… sometimes the thumb tack will fall out though… which is all part of the fun… [8-]
Hey paul5mq;
how I do it I use 20 lbs test line and loop both wings and tail so the plane wont do barrel rolls while being hung, and the norm with everyone else is the same I also use cup hooks unless it’s the 1/48 B-29 or 1/72 B-36 or B-52’s then I’d use ceiling hooks that come with an anchor that will distribute the weight better and wont pull through the dry wall or plaster ceilings,