CG Gizmo
 

Does anyone make or has anyone out there made a CG checker for giant scale aircraft so that it can be accomplished without a second person?

RE: CG Gizmo
 

I have used the sling hanging from overhead with plumb bob on planes weighing up to 19 lbs. With heavier planes, it's just a matter of using strong enough cord, twine, whatever and strong enough skyhook. If you rig a pulley to the overhead and run the suspension line to a cleat on the wall somewhere, you can hoist the plane yourself to just a few inches off the ground. Plane will swing its CG to directly under a plumb bob hanging from the same pulley, point to CG with perfect precision. This beats the balancing rigs by a long shot, and is easily handled by one guy once the skyhook is in place and a suitable sling put together to keep small diameter stuff from denting your plane's finish. I use nylon straps under the wings, hoist the plane by the armpits.

Some folks don't trust the physics of this method, but if you just press down on the tail, or put a small weight there and then take it off, you'll see the plane shift forward & back, indicating a change in CG.

RE: CG Gizmo
 

I made one of these gizmo's a while back and it works great. I just now found this site for a "how to". The flying wings we use in combat need fairly precise CG within about 1/8" tolerance and this tool helps get you pretty close. My original CG checker plans from a magazine article I got had no mention of this name but now I shall label the tool my "Vanessa". (grin)

pw





http://home.mindspring.com/~the-plum...%20Machine.htm

RE: CG Gizmo
 

Check out the pawn or thrift shops and pick-up a pair of cheap camara tripods. Just cut couple of plates the can be padded and place on the swivel heads and use them like the G/P C/G machine.