balsabuff

My Feedback: (30)

It seems even on giant scale warbirds, space for a retracting / steerable tailwheel is at a premium. I have seen many threads on RCU, where the competition for space between the retract and the elevator and / or rudder cables / pushrods has led to great frustration. Fortunately, some guys have come up with ingenious solutions to cope with this on their particular project. Not being the ingenious type, I was wondering if anyone has tried a castering tailwheel like some of the full scale jobs have ? Or, how about a non-steerable retract ? If my remaining brain cells are functioning, I seem to remember Dave Platt specified a non-steering retract on a couple of his early warbird designs. Would like to hear what you guys have experienced or wittnessed. Thx much. 'buff

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

On my giant-scale aerobats, I only run a castor-ing tail-wheel. I rarely have any problems unless the cross-wind is very strong, and then you have issues getting started, but once the plane is moving its not an issue. ground handling would probably be slightly more difficult on a warbird due to the smaller control surface size and throws.

foodstick

I always liked a castor type tail wheel on grass, and HATED it on anything smooth and hard ! I am not sure how a bigger 3d plane would be with a lot of rudder authority, but i bet its a real skill to do nicely...

Most of my friends don't use a castor on anything.

Stickbuilder

If you had differential braking on the main gear, you could use a castering tailwheel. Without that type of brakes, you don't have much control. On most full scale taildraggers you have the ability to lock the tailwheel once you are straightened out on the active runway.

Bill, Waco Brother #1

Boomerang1

I have only had one model with a castoring tailwheel.

I soon made it steerable!

Like Bill said above, without differential braking (and I don't know how well that would work on a model)
you will be chasing the model all over the place when taxiing.

If you have ridden a jet ski you will know the feeling, without throttle no steering. - John.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

You still need something to hold the wheel straight as it goes up into the retract bay so it doesn't bind on the way up or down. What ever you use for that will reduce the gears ability to castor freely.

I'm using the Robart w/pull pull in my p-47,, plenty of room back there for everything.

Good luck

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Looks like mixed opions here; maybe you should have posted this as a poll.

I have installed retract tailwheel on several warbirds. Some have proven very difficult to install and maintain steering linkages, others I never even made the attempt. As a result, ALL are now castoring. Only time I have problems is in extreme winds (20 mph or more), and then: only when I try to taxi.

I DO install something, a spring usually, which starightens out the wheel for retracting.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Not being able to taxi effectively would drive me nuts on any type of plane,, worth the hassle if you ask me

MajorTomski

I had a Lockheed Vega that had a free castoring tail wheel, BUT it also had a rubber band that kept it in trail. It worked surprisingly well on pavement