1:18 Aircraft - ceiling attachment process

combatartist · Post by **combatartist** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:33 pm

Does anyone have a diagram, and/or aware of a company that sells harnesses for 1:18 aircraft?

I am aware of using the 50# test, mono-fil fishing line route, but if there is something available commercially or a diagram out there, I would appreciate it.

mikeg · Post by **mikeg** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:45 pm

I've used 20 and 30lb ace hardware line before in the basement, but I noticed the line reflects in the light and can be cumbersome to tie up--I started to use black curtain/upholstery thread instead, it's held my planes for a couple of years now and is damn near invisible in sunlight or interior lighting. Out of caution, I used two strands front and back for the avengers, but now I show them wings folded on shelving offshoots from the walls.

Of course, thats from rafters in the basement, I dont hang them from the ceilings in the house proper, I have a wife.

normandy · Post by **normandy** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:34 pm

Welcome combatartist, well fishing line or wire works very well, with an eye hook.
Or if you have the space try these...
http://eagle-istand.com/buy2.htm

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:57 pm

Hang 'em!! I used 24 gauge plastic wire. It's nice to have a stud finder to make only one hole.

They DO make ceiling spackle to patch those tiny little holes you make so when you must take them down it disappears.

rmoore456 · Post by **rmoore456** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:40 pm

I use 12lb fishing line. Make one large loop, I put a drop of superglue on the knot to keep it from sliding. Loop around tail and nose, then looped twice around a cup hook screwed into a floor joist.

Ray

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:56 am

YUP! Brilliant minds think a like:

Mine are hung the very same way!

skypirate · Post by **skypirate** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:45 am

Same here. I've had my Stuka hanging with 8 lb. fishing line since spring of 2001. Looks like I need to do some spring cleaning on the cobwebs and sit the pilot up again. Home Depot sells some over priced hooks with rubber covers that match the ceiling pretty well. On the white 7, I've got the fishing line going around the engines for a nice banking and climbing position. All of them are hung with a single loop.

I do have a few interesting stories though. I can't remember which one, but either my ME109 or my P51 did take a fall from not having a good knot tied. It just fell straight down, doing a belly landing. Much to my surprise nothing broke. So, I've also been using super glue to secure the knot.

During xmas of 2003 or 2004, we were away for a week and a squirrel got into the oven vent on the roof, clawed its way through the metal grill over the oven, and tore the house apart trying to get out. In the process, it climbed tseveral sets of venetian blinds (destroying them in the process) and apparently hopped onto the P51. When I got home, it was hanging very precariously. The squirrel did a tremendous amount of damage. Needless to say, I now view them as rats with furry tails.

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:27 pm

Thanks for the close up pics of the white #7 262. Mine should be here Jan. 3. I've never seen that version of the P40, I have the AVG:

I did the same and super glued the knot and looped it around the hook so that it couldn't slide. Great idea with the white hooks! I may have to re-arrange mine soon and the white hooks will have to be used!

Nice pics!

Website · Post by **Teamski** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 4:43 pm

I'm a 2 hook guy myself. 20lb test works really well...... I wouldn't use just 1 hook. That would get me nervous, especially for the heavier aircraft.....

-Ski

rmoore456 · Post by **rmoore456** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:37 pm

Teamski wrote:I'm a 2 hook guy myself. 20lb test works really well...... I wouldn't use just 1 hook. That would get me nervous, especially for the heavier aircraft.....

-Ski

If you get one hook into wood it is fine. I have an Avenger, F-86 and P-38's on one hook.

Ray

rmoore456 · Post by **rmoore456** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:38 pm

skypirate wrote:Same here. I've had my Stuka hanging with 8 lb. fishing line since spring of 2001. Looks like I need to do some spring cleaning on the cobwebs and sit the pilot up again. Home Depot sells some over priced hooks with rubber covers that match the ceiling pretty well. On the white 7, I've got the fishing line going around the engines for a nice banking and climbing position. All of them are hung with a single loop.

I do have a few interesting stories though. I can't remember which one, but either my ME109 or my P51 did take a fall from not having a good knot tied. It just fell straight down, doing a belly landing. Much to my surprise nothing broke. So, I've also been using super glue to secure the knot.

During xmas of 2003 or 2004, we were away for a week and a squirrel got into oven vent, clawed its way through the grill over the oven, and tore the house apart trying to get out. In the process, it climbed tseveral sets of venetian blinds (destroying them in the process) and apparently hopped onto the P51. When I got home, it was hanging very precariously. The squirrel did a tremendous amount of damage. Needless to say, I now view them as rats with furry tails.

There is enough friction on the fuselage to have the plane banking and diving without putting stress on the wings.

Ray

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:11 pm

Yep, same here. One hook into some wood works just fine.

I used a stud finder. They can be had for around $10.00.

skypirate · Post by **skypirate** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:08 pm

Panther F wrote:Thanks for the close up pics of the white #7 262. Mine should be here Jan. 3. I've never seen that version of the P40, I have the AVG:

The 262 is a great looking plane. I ended up taking off the pilot's legs to get him sit in the plane decently. I found the P40 at WM several years back, I think it was under the Motorworks name or something.

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:17 am

Oh crud... that's one thing I didn't do... Screw into a stud... They seem to hold fast, and I'm using 2 small screw hooks for the Sabre, two for the F-104, and one for the MiG-15. I've got a stud finder, I'm pretty sure. It'd probably be best to re-hang them in a stud, rather than run the risk. Tomorrow's project...

I don't care about the holes now, I have pictures all over my ceiling anyway, noone will know... until I have to move or something... SPACKLE!

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 8:47 am

I'm sure if you had a light item to hang or you made an even bigger hole with using an anchor it would be okay. But I had to hang the Avenger from a stud, so while I was at it I did all of them the same.

With activity in the room, a fan or the A/C, they don't hang still so I would imagine it could work loose.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 3:10 pm

During xmas of 2003 or 2004, we were away for a week and a squirrel got into oven vent, clawed its way through the grill over the oven, and tore the house apart trying to get out. In the process, it climbed tseveral sets of venetian blinds (destroying them in the process) and apparently hopped onto the P51. When I got home, it was hanging very precariously. The squirrel did a tremendous amount of damage. Needless to say, I now view them as rats with furry tails.

How concerned should we be over not having squirrel insurance? Up until now my comfort level was OK but now...

skypirate · Post by **skypirate** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:24 pm

olifant wrote:How concerned should we be over not having squirrel insurance? Up until now my comfort level was OK but now...

The experience has left me slightly paranoid about taking long xmas vacations. Sometimes, I think these things could only happen to me.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:54 pm

The squirrel incident falls into the "too strange to be fiction" catagory!

One time I had to chase two racoons out of my house. They came in while I was airing out through the kitchen door. Luckily they were more interested in the cats than my models!

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 9:05 pm

Haha, the squirrel incident should be a movie...

V2 MAN · Post by **V2 MAN** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 9:50 pm

I use the big thick fishing wire. Thats the only thing i know of to hang the planes with

I dont know of any diagrams or stuff like that.

skypirate · Post by **skypirate** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:03 pm

olifant wrote:The squirrel incident falls into the "too strange to be fiction" catagory!

One time I had to chase two racoons out of my house. They came in while I was airing out through the kitchen door. Luckily they were more interested in the cats than my models!

A friend of mine use to live in an apartment where raccoons could somehow get in over the ceiling and you could here them crawling around. They certainly weren't subtle about their presence.

AlloySkull wrote:Haha, the squirrel incident should be a movie...

Yeah, it would have. At first, it was quite a mystery trying to figure out what had happened. I found the squirrel in the kitchen in an empty wine bottle rack, then cornered him behind the microwave. I called animal control and two guys with large thick gloves tried to catch him. Despite being really pinned in with very little opportunity to escape, he did. Rather than run out the open back door, he tried to run further into the house. Instead, he ran into me, who wasn't about to let him do anymore damage. My foot that was going the opposite way. Yeah, I kind of got to place kick him out the back door.

As I'm kind of uncertain of this forum's policies, I don't want to get too off topic and get myself banned or something. That's pretty much the end of story.

I guess if there is anything to be learned from the experience, it's that strange things can happen. Make sure you're not strategically hanging your planes over other priceless valuables.

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:05 pm

I did get my ceiling ornament today:

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:40 pm

Any method without having to make holes? I have a dropped ceiling with those square stuff...

kevrut · Post by **kevrut** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:04 pm

Tie the string to a large metal paperclip. Hook the paperclip to the metal frame under the ceiling tile. Leave string at an angle so the plane won't fall.

Post by **aferguson** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:22 pm

i prefer two hooks because i find the aircraft swing around less in any breezes that happens to be in the room; makes for a more stable mounting.

I glue plastic coffe cup holder hooks to my ceiling with Loktite. No drilled holes to fill in one day. I've been doing it for years without any incident of a hook coming off. I've hung every plane this way except the BBI F-18, which i have hanging from a single plant holder hook. I felt it was just too heavy to trust to the glue/plaster strength.

I virtually always use 10lb test line except for the heavier planes like the F-18 and Avenger, Blackhawk and for the front of the Apache, where i use 20lb. No problems after 7 years.