Need help with comeing up with flight stands for a 1/48 air plane model.

[commissarmoody]

I am going about making 1/48 model planes for scenery and to represent a plane doing a strafing runs.
But I need some ideas for some good, cheap and or DIY flight stands.

[Munindk]

I have seen people use collapsable radio antenna for this sort of thing. They're quite cheap on ebay.
If you dont need the plane to move vertically clear plastic rod is also pretty cheap.

[dberna67]

I used a Portable Telescopic Magnetic Pick Up Tool

For example:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Quality-Portable-Telescopic-Magnetic-Pick-Up-Tool-With-Bright-Led-Light/32837095335.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.9.376223d0yldqPb&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10065_10344_10068_10342_10343_10340_10341_10084_10617_10083_10616_10618_10304_10615_10307_10302_5920011_10313_10059_10184_10534_100031_10103_441_10624_442_10623_10622_10621_10620_10142,searchweb201603_38,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=682016ba-0157-459b-a6e9-e8e1fe75c67f-1&algo_pvid=682016ba-0157-459b-a6e9-e8e1fe75c67f&priceBeautifyAB=1

[Chuckaroobob]

I use plastic champaign glasses I bought at a party store. They're about 10 inches tall. The base pops off, use it upside down and my diecast 1/60 Mi-24's sit on it. Pretty stable.

[Pappa Midnight]

A nice simple method is to use a "Rolson" inspection mirror ( really cheap on Ebay) and a large base.

Take the screw out of the end ( you will need this later)


Take the mirror off and file the "ball" to get a flat surface. Glue a magnet to it.


Make a hole dead centre of the stand and weight the bottom with some washers.


The finished stand.


Find the centre of gravity for the plane model a either recess another magnet or a ball-bearing.


Cheap, simple and pretty robust.

Regards
PM

[commissarmoody]

This are all some great ideas! I will have to look into which option will work best for what I have.  

Papa Midnight, I looked up  "Rolson" inspection mirror and have found many types. Is there a pacific model type you used?

[Johnnytodd]

1/48 is pretty big (heavy and tippy) ...so what I did was take my broken, unwanted lead minis and melt them down into a molten blob roughly 1 pound.  Pour the blob into a 4" round metal cup.  Drill hole in lead weight and in plane, connect with bent coat hanger - TADA!

[Wirelizard]

I used basically the same methods as Papa Midnight for a really solid flight stand a few years ago now.

http://www.warbard.ca/2013/01/26/look-up-in-the-sky/

Five years ago tomorrow, in fact. Yikes, is the RCW project that far in the past now?  

[Pappa Midnight]

Papa Midnight, I looked up  "Rolson" inspection mirror and have found many types. Is there a pacific model type you used?

The one I used had a pen type clip ( which I removed) to clip to your pocket.
I will see if I can find a model number.

Regards
PM

[WuZhuiQiu]

With a magnetic grabber tool, the magnet is already attached!

[gweirda]

I recall seeing (on the interwebs) a solution that involved a tripod.

Having three small(ish) contact points eliminated the problem of finding a place on the table to fit a large, weighty base.

[nic-e]

I've been thinking that a beanbag full of lead shot or dense sand ,with a stick attached for the plane to be stuck to, could be a good way to keep them weighted and allow them to sit on uneven surfaces.

[commissarmoody]

I recall seeing (on the interwebs) a solution that involved a tripod.

Having three small(ish) contact points eliminated the problem of finding a place on the table to fit a large, weighty base.

That also seem like a decent solution, if It can be found.

[gweirda]

...if It can be found.

I'm pretty sure it was a scratchbuilt affair, though maybe a small tripod (for phones?) could be used?

[commissarmoody]

No worries.