… hi folks… need some expertise here… have any techs in flattening those tires, currently rebuilding a 1/48th scale c-130 Herc, and those tires should look flattened…thanks…
File off a flat spot or look for resin aftermarket ones. Many modelers cross the line from a tire that is load bearing to simply flat or low on air. Modern aircraft don’t have as much wheel bulge as do older aircraft. Aircraft that operate of grass or unimproved fields have tire with high floatation. Aircraft which operate of runways are typically hard sidewalls that are solid as rocks and yield little bulge.
If you look at John Vojtech award winning AC-130, you see there is little tire flattening or bulge. www.umm-usa.com
Better than a model, look at the real thing:
and a couple more!!!
Not much bulge at all, if any. I think you could get away with simply filing down a flat spot!
That’s what I said! [;)]
Having spent a good deal of time around C-130s the only time I saw any significant tire bulge was when we were on a loose gravel surface. They had the tires aired down for greater floatation. We even had to air down the tires on the RT Forklift I was operating to load/unload it. Even manage to get the FL temporarily stuck! But with a little finess and using the tines I was able to coax it out unaided. This was a nasty deployment location.
… thanks for sharing your ideas, its a big help indeed… more power to the forums!!!
You can also use a clothes iron. Set it on low, and push the tire onto it with a little bit of force. It takes a little bit of time, but produces a very realistically flattened tire.
…good day, thanks anarchist… but its also a tricky one. i’ve tried heating a steel spatula over a lighted candle and it does the job… just try not to force it all the way coz some tires are molded with a hollow bottom… too juch pressing results to more than a flat tire but with a hole in it…
Yes, I’ve ruined a tire or two testing this technique out. You just really have to take your time, or just find some resin ones. Lol.
Well, this is kind of an old post but I respond anyway!
You can also get a metal pot, fill it with an inch or so of water and heat it on the stove, then grip the tire with a pair of pliers and press it down onto the heated bottom of the pan. The water helps to keep it from getting too hot and destroying the tire but still allows the plastic to melt enough. I’ve had great success with this technique in the past!