Roger ball

[Oldbaldguy]

There are aftermarket replacements for just about anything you can imagine but I’ve never seen correct, accurate generic universal qAM tailhooks in any scale.  Do such critters exist?  I’d love to acquire a passel of them in 1/32 and 1/48.

[Joe Hegedus]

Not sure there is such a thing as an "accurate, generic, universal tailhook".  Tailhooks are generally unique to the aircraft type they are fitted to since aircraft geometries, weight, landing speeds, etc all can vary quite a bit.  An A-4 tailhook won't work on an A-6, and an A-6 tailhook won't work on an F-18.  The closest to an "interchangeable" tailhook would probably be the Grumman F9F Panther and F9F Cougar, or perhaps the spring-type hooks seen on the F-102 and F-106,  but even then I can't say for certain that the hooks were the same.

[Oldbaldguy]

17 minutes ago, Joe Hegedus said:

Not sure there is such a thing as an "accurate, generic, universal tailhook".  Tailhooks are generally unique to the aircraft type they are fitted to since aircraft geometries, weight, landing speeds, etc all can vary quite a bit.  An A-4 tailhook won't work on an A-6, and an A-6 tailhook won't work on an F-18.  The closest to an "interchangeable" tailhook would probably be the Grumman F9F Panther and F9F Cougar, or perhaps the spring-type hooks seen on the F-102 and F-106,  but even then I can't say for certain that the hooks were the same.

The shoes on the end look pretty much the same no matter which airplane we are talking about because they are a replaceable line item with a limited life cycle; likely you already know that.  While the shafts come in all shapes and sizes, the gizmo on the end is enough the same across the fleet that you probably couldn’t tell if it was a little off, even in 1/32.  Until recently, kit manufacturers got the shape wrong more often than not, so there are a lot older kits floating around out there with hooks that are painfully wrong.  I’m old school and enjoy expending the blood, sweat and tears needed to bring old kits closer to current standards.  My life would be a lot more simple if AM tailhooks were as plentiful as wheels and gear struts.

[ScottS.]

31 minutes ago, Oldbaldguy said:

The shoes on the end look pretty much the same no matter which airplane we are talking about because they are a replaceable line item with a limited life cycle; likely you already know that.  While the shafts come in all shapes and sizes, the gizmo on the end is enough the same across the fleet that you probably couldn’t tell if it was a little off, even in 1/32.  Until recently, kit manufacturers got the shape wrong more often than not, so there are a lot older kits floating around out there with hooks that are painfully wrong.  I’m old school and enjoy expending the blood, sweat and tears needed to bring old kits closer to current standards.  My life would be a lot more simple if AM tailhooks were as plentiful as wheels and gear struts.

Hook points are aircraft specific. A supper Hornet will not work on a Charlie.

[Oldbaldguy]

Okay.  Uncle.  I give up.  I am literally sitting here with my fingers in my ears, going, “Nananananaaaaaaa.”  I was hoping someone would pipe up and tell me that, yes, indeed, some enterprising aftermarketeer offers a more accurate looking tailhook than the Capt Hook’s hook-like thing that came in the kit I’m working on.  These guys make everything else, so why not that?  Obviously I failed to communicate.

 

[easixpedro]

I don’t disagree with ya OBG, but at this point I’m accustomed to making the darn things myself. On the SB2C I think it took me all of 5 minutes to massage the kit offering into a close resemblance. My solace is that LSP hooks are easier than smaller scales…

[Confusionreigns178]

I've never seen any aftermarket tail-hooks, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not available.

 

Good luck in your search. 

 

Chris. 

[Oldbaldguy]

9 hours ago, Confusionreigns178 said:

I've never seen any aftermarket tail-hooks, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not available.

 

 

My point exactly.  We can pick among several different turnbuckle sets for some obscure biplane nobody builds but when it comes to something as essential for any Navy model as a bloomin’ tailhook that looks like a tailhook, nada.  Well, I’ll figure it out.  I’m thinking of using a hook from a 1/48 A-3 kit to fix the nonexistent one on my old Revell Wildcat.  That ought to work.

[Tony T]

I feel the same way about tailwheels. A generic set cast in brass would do well for a number of older kits like the Hasegawa Ki-43 Hayabusa. I really don't care if it's slightly overscale or of a slightly differing design. 

 

Tony

[cbk57]

Aftermarket tail hooks are out there here and there, often included with other parts.  For example the 1/32 F4u corsairs, although none of us like the company very much SAC has a tail hook for the Corsair, I cannot remember if G-Factor did one.  Also I believe Eduard did the tail hook as part of their engine upgrade for the F-4 Phantoms in 1/32.  The SAC parts though per the stereotype were not worth the money.  It all bent under its own weight, I had to replace it all.  

 

I know the subject matters to the OP for my part it is not something I worry about, however maybe if I were building a kit where it were more significant in appearance I would be concerned.  The Tamiya Corsair tail hook seems perfectly adequate to me.