anyone know what aircraft counterbalances are %wise?

[filthygovmploye]

i might be able to access some, but i dont wanna mess with it if its a shat alloy... thanks!!!

[RidgerunnerAk]

I have an elevator counterweight off a Cessna 180 that seems to be pure lead. Not entirely sure ibt it's pretty soft.

[JSnover]

I found some military aircraft ballast that was 95-5 lead-antimony

[grullaguy]

I know that in at least one military aircraft the weight was depleted uranium. Very heavy but difficult to cast.:holysheep

[beagle]

Most of the military stuff will be castable lead as the weights were more or less locally fabricated and made to adjust the center of gravity when an aircraft was flown without a fairly heavy piece of equipment. I've seen weights that were used to offset the absence of a FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) system. Others were used when Cobras flew without an ammunition load. Most of these were locally fabricated from shot as shot is obtainable through the Federal Supply system (ain't that nice for you loggie reloaders to know)./beagle

[Beau Cassidy]

I got about 500 lbs of Blackhawk counterbalance weights that were pure lead. They still had the contract number on them.

[Gtek]

I would grab it no matter what. The Bell UH series had 5 lb. triangle plates for fwd nose under battery, also 5 lb. plates with Bell p/n on brown wrapping paper we put in 50 cal. ammo cans and strap to floor. Melted and acted just like pure dead soft with all the purple and blues and melted around 600. Have not cast any with it yet, but if it is free I would be jumping on it for sure. -Gtek

[Matt_G]

Some Boeing aircraft (think 737-100's and 200's) used Tungsten or a high percentage Tungsten alloy for their counter weights. At least back in the 80's and early 90's they did when I was still working as an A&P.

I got hold of two bars back then about 3 inches wide by 12 inches long and .75 inches thick.
Sure made a bunch of nice bucking bars for this sheet metal mechanic. :mrgreen: