Gear Doesn't Touch Ground

[SWAFARetired]

I recently acquired the Gemini Jets EL AL 747-400 and it's tail heavy by just enough that the nose gear does not make contact. Any tricks to fix this or just not worry about it?

 

[TheEpicBirb]

I recently acquired the Gemini Jets EL AL 747-400 and it's tail heavy by just enough that the nose gear does not make contact. Any tricks to fix this or just not worry about it? View attachment 31985View attachment 31986

personally i just use double sided tape for tail heavy models since i dont display on an airport, but otherwise im not sure

 

[LeoMuse747]

I'd try the following steps:

1) try to identify which main gear leg is causing this. Sometimes it's just the center body gears, sometimes it's all of the main gear set.
2) This will be tricky: I'd try to remove the gears, sand them down a little bit and glue them back.

This might work, but do it at your own risk!

Another option is try to remove the nose gear and make it "longer" by inserting some filling at the gear hole and gluing the nose gear back.
A small ball of modeling clay might do the job.

 

[SWAFARetired]

personally i just use double sided tape for tail heavy models since i dont display on an airport, but otherwise im not sure

I thought about that as it is on a shelf. I would put it on a stand but there is not a hole in the bottom for a stand. So much for that idea.

 

[SWAFARetired]

I'd try the following steps:

1) try to identify which main gear leg is causing this. Sometimes it's just the center body gears, sometimes it's all of the main gear set.
2) This will be tricky: I'd try to remove the gears, sand them down a little bit and glue them back.

This might work, but do it at your own risk!

Another option is try to remove the nose gear and make it "longer" by inserting some filling at the gear hole and gluing the nose gear back.
A small ball of modeling clay might do the job.

Thanks for the ideas, I may go with a tiny piece of tape. That I can't screw up

 

[Tropicalista]

Honestly I have give back a model for this issue.
For the price that they hava I can accept only the mint condition…

 

[Jazajia]

I have handful of 747s from a number of brands that have that issue. I just leave them alone.

I don’t think it’s a tail heavy issue, just the center gear too tall and strong enough to hold the whole model up.

 

[SWAFARetired]

I have handful of 747s from a number of brands that have that issue. I just leave them alone.

I don’t think it’s a tail heavy issue, just the center gear too tall and strong enough to hold the whole model up.

Thanks, I am leaning towards just leaving it alone. It's only really noticeable when touching it, since no one should be touching it, not a problem.

 

[josecolme]

I have been able to fix it by slightly twisting the main gear forward. Makes the whole plane tilt forward. Be very careful. Most old GJ landing gear is very stiff and will end up breaking. But you can try moving it a bit really slowly and see if it moves a bit.

 

[Jazajia]

I have been able to fix it by slightly twisting the main gear forward. Makes the whole plane tilt forward. Be very careful. Most old GJ landing gear is very stiff and will end up breaking. But you can try moving it a bit really slowly and see if it moves a bit.

One of my nose-high 74s is a British Airways 747-200 in the Landor livery by the old Aviation400 (IF400). I'm not messing with its landing gear