Wheel struts

by Saso Knez

The wheel struts in 1/32 kits need no comment. Forget them and start taking measures for new ones. Carefull measurment is really important here-if you do it wrong you might have a tillted model. There quite a few versions on tackling the devil:

The easiest way is to make the struts from sections of diferent diameter plastic from the plastic trees. It is very easy to glue them together, but be sure to drill a hole through the finnished section and insert a metal wire. This method has it's shortcomings. The model is to jumpy! Plastic is relativlly flexiblle, and if you pull drag the model, and the resulting friction will bend the strut, the strut will take-off a bit and then come down again repeating this untill the movment is stoped. This may result in brake-off of the strut. Not to mention that a P-61 in 1/32 will be kind'a shakey and unsure on plastic legs.

The second and more widely used method is to use copper or brass. Select the diameter that is as big as the narowest section of the strut. Cut it about the lenght of the strut...plus. You can file down to the exact dimensions later. To add the right relief to the struts add plastic or alu-foil which you wrap around the tubing. If you can get brass tubings that is the right diameter to slide on the main tube, then the job is easier and faster. Carefully do this and you will get a beatifull strut-almost a shame to paint. When you are finnished with the main strut...oleo time boys!! That about the painting was not a joke...fill the main strut with putty, Alumlite, whichever. Then drill a hole slightlly biger in diameter as the size of the oleo. Always use alumnium or a bright metal for the oleo. So what is the trick in drilling the hole in the strut? No matter how much you try the model will be tillted a bit. So the hole in the strut enables you to do the final settings on your model by adjusting the lenght of exposed oleo. When painting don't paint the oleo, or if you do sand the collor off. Makes no sense of painting silver over something that has that natural metal look.

If you get in truble with the wheels and tires...don't talk to me..I don't know!!