Englargin Retract Wells in Wing ????
02-20-2005, 10:44 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Englargin Retract Wells in Wing ????
Hi Guys,
Hope someone can give me some adivice i flew my P-40 Today World Models........ but it has twist and turn retracts and the wheels they give u are far too small any little bump it noses over......... so i would like to add bigger wheels....... but the question is How do i go about doing this ???
The 2 Pics below show how it is now, but i want to add bigger wheels so ground clearance will be better.... any suggestions will be extremely helpful
Hope someone can give me some adivice i flew my P-40 Today World Models........ but it has twist and turn retracts and the wheels they give u are far too small any little bump it noses over......... so i would like to add bigger wheels....... but the question is How do i go about doing this ???
The 2 Pics below show how it is now, but i want to add bigger wheels so ground clearance will be better.... any suggestions will be extremely helpful
02-20-2005, 11:15 AM
#2
My Feedback: (90)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Elephant Butte, N.M.
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
RE: Englargin Retract Wells in Wing ????
If you do this, the most important thing is" Do Not Cut the Spar". Most warbird ARFs seem to have wheels that are to small, and in most cases cannot be enlarged due to spar location. This my biggest personal beef about Warbird ARFs.
In this case it looks like you may be able to go larger. Just keep wing thickness in mind at the rear of the wheel well.
In this case it looks like you may be able to go larger. Just keep wing thickness in mind at the rear of the wheel well.
02-20-2005, 12:01 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Crete,
IL
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Englargin Retract Wells in Wing ????
Hope someone can give me some adivice i flew my P-40 Today World Models........ but it has twist and turn retracts and the wheels they give u are far too small any little bump it noses over.
If your plane can taxi without much trouble, larger wheels alone are not likely to help with the nose over problem. Warbirds typically have the gear a lot closer to the CG than other planes, hence the tendency to nose over. You have to hold full up elevator while taxiing and at the start of the takeoff roll. Taking off is a delicate balance of holding full up elevator, gradually adding throttle, feeding in right rudder, and letting off the elevator as the plane picks up ground speed. Landing also requires getting on the elevator as soon as the wheels are planted to avoid a nose over. I have a World Models .60 size Spitfire with the stock retracts and wheels. It takes off and lands just fine with those wheels so long as my left and right thumbs do their job. 
Of course a smooth field always helps too!
02-21-2005, 03:56 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Crete,
IL
Posts: 2,251
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Englargin Retract Wells in Wing ????
If your field is bumpy or has ruts, larger wheels won't help much. Even with larger wheels you'll need to follow the correct taxi/takeoff/landing procedure for Warbirds. They like to nose over if you don't. Knowing when to let off the elevator during takeoff is critical. If you let off too soon before the plane picks up enough ground speed, she'll nose over. If you don't let off soon enough, the plane will jump into the air before it has enough speed to keep flying and once the nose is up too high she'll stall and come right back down. Double check and make sure the CG is correct.
Knowing when to let off the elevator during takeoff is critical. If you let off too soon before the plane picks up enough ground speed, she'll nose over. If you don't let off soon enough, the plane will jump into the air before it has enough speed to keep flying and once the nose is up too high she'll stall and come right back down. Double check and make sure the CG is correct.
