1:144 F-111 Aardvark late type wheels w/ weighted tires

F-111 Aardvark 1:144 – resin wheels, the late type

An accessory, not a model of an aircraft: a set of wheels cast in modeling resin for the small 1:144 scale, in an execution corresponding to the later type of landing gear wheels. The tires are cast as weighted, that is with a slightly flattened contact surface. The model then does not merely stand on its base but really settles onto it, and even a small landing gear gets a readable tread pattern and a sharper edge of the wheel rim, which injection-molded plastic usually cannot manage in this scale.

The real subject

The F-111 Aardvark was an American combat aircraft with a variable-geometry wing intended for attacks on ground targets in unfavorable weather and at night as well. The crew consisted of two men sitting side by side. The machine served for many decades and its landing gear underwent small changes during service, by which makers of accessories distinguish the early and the later execution of the wheels.

Building and painting tips

First wash the parts with lukewarm soapy water because of the residues of mold release agent. Cut the casting block off with a saw in the plane of the flattening of the tire, so that the weighted effect stays preserved, and sand the surface over only lightly, wet and with respiratory protection. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). For the tire choose a very dark gray shade instead of black, paint the wheel rim separately and then dust the wheel with a light pigment, so that it looks used.

Who the wheels are for

• Modelers who build in 1:144 scale
• Builders looking for a believable contact of a model with its base
• More experienced modelers used to resin
• Collectors who care about the details of the landing gear too

This is a resin accessory, not a kit of an aircraft. Glue, paints and the model are not included in the package. Before buying, check that the type of wheels corresponds to your machine.