Adding Nose Weight to Tail Heavy Warbirds?  
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Warbirds and Warplanes >> Adding Nose Weight to Tail Heavy Warbirds?
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Adding Nose Weight to Tail Heavy Warbirds? - 3/11/2002 12:07:43 AM   
P47 Thunderbolt



Posts: 357
Joined: 2/1/2002
From: Brighton, MI, USA
Status: offline 		I have a 1/5 Pica Spitfire which I'm just finishing up. I plan to install a Moki 2.10 or BME 50 since these 2 motors will drop into the already installed wood beam mounts. One thing that I have noticed with this plane as well as read about regarding certain tail heavy warbirds, is that I'm going to have to add a couple pounds to the nose to balance at the correct CG. This is no problem for I have added weight in the past for other planes but not this much. Does anyone have any good methods for adding this amount of weight (2 to 3 pounds)?. I could always go out and buy a bunch of the stick-on lead and epoxy it to the fire wall and inside the front of the fuse, but is this the best way? If anyone has experience with adding the amount of weight please let me know. I wanted to install a G62 to avoid adding dead-weight but I would have to tear up the cowl too much as well as rip out the wood beam mounts and extensively modify the firewall. This is why I'm looking at the Moki 2.10 or BME 50. Also, if anyone has any advice or experience with either of these engines, please let me know what you think is best for this plane (Moki 2.10 or BME 50?).

Thanks,

Matt
       Post #: 1

Nose weight - 3/11/2002 5:41:16 AM   
MarkShapiro


 

Posts: 664
Joined: 2/1/2002
From: Miami, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I mentioned in another post reply that I added nearly five pounds to the nose of my Byron Hellcat. Instead of gluing a buch of stick on wieghts, I made a simple mold out of 1/8" aircraft grade ply. The mold was a 12" long rectangle which was about 3" wide and about 3/8 inch deep. I glued the rectangular frame to another piece of wood, which formed the bottom of the mold and left the top open. I then bought a bunch of lead fishing weights. I placed the weights inside the mold, one by one, and melted them down with a blow torch. Put the torchs' flame directly on the lead weight. Care must be taken not to ignite the wood frame. I continuously dampened the wood frame during the process to prevent causing a fire. I don't think the fire marshall would have approved of the whole process, but it worked. Once the entire mold is filled with molten lead, let it cool completly. It is then easily removed and can be manually bent to the shape of the cowl on the nose of the plane. By the way, be sure to wear a respirator mask during this process and then wear gloves when handling the lead. Lead and lead fumes can be toxic.

(in reply to P47 Thunderbolt)
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nose weight - 3/11/2002 9:16:16 AM   
Alleymutt


 

Posts: 64
Joined: 2/4/2002
From: Richfield, Minnesota.USA
Status: offline 		You will probably need 4 to 4-1/2 lbs up in the nose on this bird, with that light engine. F4u5 (Jeff Quesenberry) has had this plane a couple of times. All he uses are gas engines too. Go to your local hunting supply store and pick up a bag of bird shot lead pellets. Mix with your favorite epoxy and go. No mess with lead fumes or melting it. It goes in the smallest spaces and makes nice fillets on the inside of round cowls or nose ring.

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good idea - 3/11/2002 7:59:44 PM   
tinman



Posts: 1175
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: columbia, TN, USA
Status: offline 		ahhh good idea alley...seems like you could build a shelf/pocket fill with the shot and epoxy also. maybe use clay to form and hold the area ya wanna fill in the cowl also? i'm gonna have to put this one in my notes ...thx -Tinman-

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nose weight - 3/11/2002 10:05:08 PM   
MarkShapiro


 

Posts: 664
Joined: 2/1/2002
From: Miami, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Where were you when I needed you about four months ago, Tinman?

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hehe - 3/11/2002 10:17:35 PM   
tinman



Posts: 1175
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: columbia, TN, USA
Status: offline 		it was alley's idea mark... and one i/m sure we won't forget soon..hehe. i am blding a stinson now and i need all the info i can get. what did you do months ago when you needed weight?
-Tinman-

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lead sled - 3/12/2002 12:48:27 AM   
fw190d9



Posts: 506
Joined: 12/15/2001
From: Seguin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Matt, I dont know if youve seen my page or not, I just finished a pica spitfire and powered it with a bme 50. The engine was a drop in and powers it very nicely. I had to add 3.25 lbs of lead to make it balance. I first built a mold out of tin that was 2 inches wide, about 6 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. I then melted all the lead into the mold and which gives you a lead brick. I then sandwiched the lead bar between to pieces of 1/8 ply. On installation, the front of the bar/sandwich is epoxied into the front former behind the spinner and above the engine and the rear of the bar is epoxied into the 2nd former behind the engine. However you do it, make sure it is well secured because all that weight will move around due to vibration. Check my webpage on spitfire page no.4 for some pics
Evan Q.
http://www.homestead.com/evoshangar/home.html

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Adding Nose Weight to Tail Heavy Warbirds? - 3/12/2002 1:04:05 AM   
kylenlord


 

Posts: 87
Joined: 3/9/2002
From: Colchester CT
Status: offline 		I have a Pica Spitfire also, just with a Moki 1.8 instead of a 2.1. The first flight was a short vertical upline. Then it stall turned down, and hit. Would you believe the nylon bolts snapped. Whevever I crash, they end up pulling out the wing blocks. Also, the 3/16 strut was bent back but the blocks were still in the wing. It was seriously tail heavy-heavy. I still have to add an additonal two pounds. Are the Pica spitfires known for tail-heaviness? Or does this occur with the majority of warbirds?


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Adding Nose Weight to Tail Heavy Warbirds? - 3/12/2002 1:34:00 AM   
paero-RCU


 

Posts: 70
Joined: 2/11/2002
From: Oconomowoc, WI,
Status: offline 		Whenever I need to add a considerable amount of nose weight I use the following method. Go to your local tire store and "con" them our of some old used wheel weights. Take and old can (soup can works really good) and cut it so you have a small round tray. I then take a cutting pliers and cut enough of the weights off to bring the plane into balance. This amount is then "melted" with a propane torch into the soup can bottom. Once cooled you can remove the can and now you have a nice big round weight that can be drilled and mounted as you see fit.

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Re: nose weight - 3/12/2002 2:28:50 AM   
INJUN_EAR


 

Posts: 190
Joined: 1/9/2002
From: cary, IL, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by Alleymutt
You will probably need 4 to 4-1/2 lbs up in the nose on this bird, with that light engine. F4u5 (Jeff Quesenberry) has had this plane a couple of times. All he uses are gas engines too. Go to your local hunting supply store and pick up a bag of bird shot lead pellets. Mix with your favorite epoxy and go. No mess with lead fumes or melting it. It goes in the smallest spaces and makes nice fillets on the inside of round cowls or nose ring. [/QUOTE]

This is how I do it. Werks fer me.

(in reply to P47 Thunderbolt)
       Post #: 10

Adding Nose Weight - 3/12/2002 3:08:39 AM   
P47 Thunderbolt



Posts: 357
Joined: 2/1/2002
From: Brighton, MI, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for all the great replies. Evan Q. --> I have looked at your site and you have some nice planes. That's how I got the idea for the BME50 as an engine option.

I've never melted lead before. Is there a lot of toxic fumes or any other hazards?

Thanks,

Matt

(in reply to P47 Thunderbolt)
       Post #: 11

Lead sled - 3/12/2002 3:12:44 AM   
fw190d9



Posts: 506
Joined: 12/15/2001
From: Seguin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Matt, you can melt lead with one of those little one bottle propane torches you see at your local hardware store. Just do it outside with some wind blowing so you dont have to worry about any fumes.
Evan Q.
PS If you do go the route of melting it into a soup can or similar, make sure you BOLT the lead weight to the firewall, dont use screws(dont ask how I know )

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       Post #: 12

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