Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

I just got back into flying and was changing out the packs and checking the rx in my Kadet Sr. ARf and remembered how tail heavy it is. After I put my new battery packs in and balanced it i though wow yeah still really tail heavy. So I decided to do like i did before and a roll of lead fishing weights.
Are some models just nose or tail heavy by design and you have too add a TOn of weight to balance them?

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

In short, Yes. A lot of times it depends on the length of the nose vs the tail of the airplane which may cause lead to adding a bunch of weight. A good example is the Hangar 9 Sopwith, it actually comes with a slug of lead to put in the nose for balancing! I have never owned a Kadet, but the three Sig planes that I have do not need any lead to balance...

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

In a word - yes.

The Great Planes Seawind hs a nose full of BBs and epoxy and STILL I had to add about 1 1/2lbs (One and a half pounds) of lead to the nose

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

I had the World Models Frontier Senior as a trainer, its basically a copy of the Sig Senior with wider wing and ailerons. It called for a 45 size engine and I put a 61 supertiger which is 8 ounces heavier than the 45 supertiger. I still had to put lead in the nose to balance, more like take some of the lead that was already there out to compensate for a bigger engine that what was required as that i bought the plane used.

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

Yeppi , lets see the Seafury , the Fw190 ect ect , all short nose warbirds can have a tail heavy issues but .... before you ever add weight do your best to move everything and the kitchen sink forward , switch your wheels to light wheels (if there on or behind the CG )
Then when you have to add weight consider a larger battery (i think you did this ) and the even if a larger engine is practicle

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

And then you have the Phoenix Sukhoi-31 in 46size that comes from the mfg with a lead slab hidden in the nose. Sukhoi31s aren't short nose, so it's not the fault of the airplane. The mfg didn't bother to build his product with light wood in the rear nor with lightening holes in the rear of the fuselage.

RE: Are some planes just really tail a or nose heavy?
 

In general, scale model airplanes are constructed differently than the real planes, and different materials. Full scale engines are much heavier per hp than a nitro methane/alcohol fueled motor and are designed for much longer life. So it's not suprising that a design that works full scale needs help as a minature to meet flying criteria. Another example is in the airfoils. A scale 40 size mustang P-51 would have razorblade thick wings and stablizers. What "looks right" doesn't always" fly right". An example is a CG Tiger 60... They tend to build "tail heavy" . If you shortened the fusealage to fly right it would look funny. I prefer to add a little weight or move batteries, fuel tanks, servos, etc. and have a pretty plane... specially if its an model of a real aircraft. " Don't get me started on Profiles:D:D:D.
Mike