vdubin64

My Feedback: (3)

Has anyone built the hob chipmunk with a steerable tailwheel ? If so I would love to see a pic of how it was done, I'm having difficulty determining where to come out of the fuse with the rudder pushrod.... If any one can help this would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks

dennis

My Feedback: (90)

you can't hook up the rudder and the tail wheel with one piece of wire it won't work. The tail wheel is too forward of the rudder hinge line. Sorry but your going to have to run an internal set up if you want that function. It can be done but it's ugly to have the horn extend from the tail wheel out of the fuse and then run a connection from that to the rudder. Also it's prone to failure.Now I have to wonder why your doing all that work on a plane that we origionally flew 2 channel and while it looks good is not really scale but sort of stand of scale. The plane is small and really won't carry a whole lot of weight. Even with todays equipment it is not a plane to fly on half throttle and make touch and goes, it was designed to fly in 1/2A combat matches of the 70's. I built the whole series including the non re issued p-39 and the 1/2A Petenpaul They were all fun planes back then. For goodness sake don't put a 15 on them they aren't designed for that and will not fly well. Threw that in because some people seem to think a big motor makes everything either fly better or makes it 3D capable.
Dennis

davidgeorge212

I see this thread is a couple years old but I just happend to be building a hob chipmunk and I actually engineered a steerable tailwheel that turned out fantastic. I built it all my self and it is all self contained inside the fuselage so that nothing but the tail wire and wheel stick outside of the fuse. On the inside it has a bel crank thats connected to the tail wheel wire and then I put a pushrod on the bell crank and ran it back up to the front and used a really small servo to control it. I will see if I cant get a photo or something.

I was considerng putting a rudder on this plane, but you know, I just dont use rudder in the air and the onlytime it would be useful would be for taxing, and even then thats why I made a steerable tail wheel so it would just be pointless to me. This was a plane my dad started building 30 years ago and never finished until I took an intrest in it. He originally had an .049 in it, but I took it out and spent quite a few hours custom fitting a Norvell .061 so it could be throttled.

David

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Hey David,

would like to see your setup on the Chipmunk. I've been gradually gathering the HOB fleet as I'd like to build a series - all electric. The Chipmunk is the kit that evades me. I also decided to build the pair of larger 44" span T-6 and P-51. The T-6 is basically done (gotta get that canopy finished). The P-51 just arrived.

I started on the 1/2A FW-190 about a year ago and installed retracts and flaps (don't ask). Still, I think I can bring her in around 24 oz AUW with a small battery. I might build another wing just for flying. The gear and flaps are just too cool even if these are stand off. I basically finished the build but then winter crept in and I didn't finish it. I'm considering a "mist of paint" rather than plastic. I think I'll build the 44" span P-51 next and then one winter try to build the 1/2A set: FW-190, ME-109, P-47, P-51, Chipmunk and Bonanza. Maybe finish them the following winter.

Here's are some snaps of my T-6 "Harvard" CHRA-DRT (Canadian Harvard Rescue Association - Dive Rescue Team) [8D]

David.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

.......if there's a will, there's a way. Hook the rudder up to the servo as you normally would. I've used 1/32"-1/16" music wire for the tiller and feeler gauge stock for the leaf spring bracket. A washer soldered to the MW will bear against the bracket to keep the wheel from getting pushed into the bracket when you land. The system has enough slop and "delay" to keep the plane from responding to every peeble it rolls over.