I have a problem with LG actually bearing the weight of the aircraft. My latest examples are a 1/48 Tamiya MiG15 and an Academy 1/48 F-86F Sabre “MIG KILLER”. I usually build the LG and attach them to the wings toward the end of the job. I leave the model upside down for a few days to make sure the LG is solidly attached.Then I turn it right side up and within a few hours the LG has collapsed and one or both of the wings are resting on their tanks and draging their tails. This problem occurs most often with jet aircraft where there is a nose LG and a LG under each wing. Ballast is required in the nose to balance the aircraft to keep the tail up.
I usually spend a great deal of time trying to reinforce the LG with whatever I can find such as small nails, pins and needles, etc. to brace the LG. My last try was using a glue gun and drop a glob of hot glue where the LG attaches to the wing. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It worked on the F-86, but not on the MiG. It appears that the LG on the MiG is too short. I think if I extend the LG just a skosh it might work. Any ideas?
Are you removing the paint where you attach the part with glue? Also what type of glue are you using? I have built both kits and had no problem with the MLG.
Mate,
I usually use stainless steel rod when I need to strengthen the gear leg attachment points. It’s quite easy to do, and superglue usually does the trick.
As you said, try to get the gear legs sitting straight and true, leave the thing upside down overnight (or use an accellerator) and the next day put the thing upright.
I assume it collapses at the joint where the LG attaches to the fuselage, correct? What glue are you using (before the hot glue)? Do you scrape the paint from that attachment point before gluing?
You might need to take the landing gear back off, clean up those wheel wells, maybe fabricate some reinforcement from scrap styrene, and re-glue. I would use a liquid cement like Ambroid or Tenax so the plastic welds together.
I must be getting a little senile in my old age. The glue I use is Model Master liquid cement for plastic models and NO I did not scrape off the paint prior to applying the glue. Back to the basics!