Hi guys, I've been amazed at the quality of the aircraft kit pictures that are put on this site, but one thing keeps catching my attention. Many builders put up finished kit photos and I notice that the wheels are left as is. One thing I always do is to sand the bottom of the tyre to simulate the weight of the aircraft but it seems many people don't. Please don't take this as a criticism, I just wondered if it was a personal preference or is there some other reason why many people leave the tyres as is, such as competition rules?

I heard some people use heat to create a small bubble to simulate the tire bulging out under the weight..............just a thought tho

I've just never given it a try and have never really looked at the real thing with respect to how much the tires on aircraft are bulged. I guess it's something I should start looking at.

I must agree with brandydog. I am reluctant to criticise modellers when I dont build aircraft myself but as an aircraft engineer the two things I most often notice on otherwise immaculate models is the tyres and the fit of the cockpit windscreen.

Splitting hairs it is probable that models would also benefit from shortening of the oleos to represent the compression when on the ground.

Of course the tyre thing also applies to modellers of other wheeled vehicles........! I cant say I have ever flattened a car models tyres.

As long as you enjoy your modelling and are happy with the way the finished article looks then that is all that matters I guess.

Regards Dave

I sometimes represent the weight on the tires, but sanding is just as inaccurate as leaving it undone. Heat the tire and press it down slightly on a block or something, this will cause the tire to bulge, as airwarrior stated. Sanding just removes part of the tire.

I totally agree on the windscreen comment. Fit of the windscreen, though, is directly related to how the modeler assembled the kit and I was guilty of this for a long time. I used to mask and paint the windscreen and canopy seperate from the fuselage of the plane and then add the windscreen near the end of the project. Unless the windscreen and canopy were a 'perfect' fit (which was almost never) there would be a gap around the base of the windscreen caused by the bad fit. Now I attach the canopy and windscreen for painting while I paint the fuselage. This allows me to fill any gaps around the windscreen prior to painting. I'll usually fill the gaps with white elmers glue.

:-) I agree that tyres should show the weight of the aircraft but simply sanding a flat, as Tim says, is also inaccurate. Heating the plastic and pressing on a flat surface is better, when I have done it the bulge created is also inaccurate. I have tried drilling into the tyre, with quite a large drill and then heating and pressing in the bulge. This seemed to work better, probably because there was less plastic, but is still not right. Apparently naval aircraft had high pressure tyres and shouldn't be bulged anyway. I prefere bulged tyres as they give the model "weight" but I am still looking for a convincing way to portray it. I like it when a kit has bulged tyres. :-)
I also agree about windscreens, I am also guilty of not spending enough time fitting them, sometimes. :-)
Mal

I think it's a personal preference. I always keep the tires black and round