irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

Just use a set of E-Flite 120 sized gear and get some struts to replace the wire gear. You'll be in for $200. Buying Sierras and having them converted to electric will easily be double that amount.

WSRetracts

Honestly the E-Flite are not going to do it. The moment you add a 1/2" strut to them they stop working. I demo this when I go to the shows because E-Flite says that they are 60-120 sized but they can only accept light wheels and wire struts. They just don't have the power for larger wheels and struts. While the H9 GS P-47 is bigger than 120 size I believe our Standard Electric Retracts will do the job well as they have the power to lift a 1/2" strut and 4-1/2" aluminum wheel with no problem when used with an unregulated fully charged 6V battery pack. Our retracts can even work with 7.4V Li-po packs for increased power and speed.

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

Or that. Michael is right, the E-Flites on my CMP Bf-109 struggle a bit to lift my struts and wheels. I'm interested to see how much better the WSRs do when mine arrive in the mail.

landeck

My Feedback: (1)

I am using the E-Flite retracts in the TF P-47 61 size with the rcskylite struts without any problem. They don't seem to have any problem lifting them. But if they do I will try the Wing Span Retracts since y'all just right around the corner from me.

Bruce

prop wash

Michael[wsr] have you retro fitted the H9P47,150 size GS??IF SO CAN YOU GIVE ME A PRICE??Pm me if you want to.Tom

Revy

My Feedback: (1)

I just received my WSR 85* retract set! WOW! Solid! These are top notch! Already cycled them a few times and they are a ton smoother than the ESM's chassis. Good job on these, Michael!

Oh BTW, you might want to include an 11mm adapter in the next sets.

wollins

Guys, have any of you used the Wingspan retracts in heavier planes? If so how is it holding up?I have a ESM Typhoon coming in at close to 19/20 pounds and the only option I see out there are the Lados. I think the Lados look fantastic and have heard nothing but good about them (plus Christophe's customer service is EXCELLENT!)but like everyone else I would like to save a bit of coin if I could.

IMHO the company that caters for the big plane market (20+ pounds) in this area by developing a reasonably priced set of retracts will make a KILLING!

Colin.

P.S.Incidentally, I even emailed Michael (Wingspan) about this and to his credit (honesty goes a far way with me) he said that he didn't know if his standard retracts would handle that weight because he hasn't used them in that heavy a plane. However he said his customers may have ... hence my question to you guys.

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

I have to second the great customer support form Michael at Wingspan. I have two sets from them and they look rock solid. I had some minor issues and he has not hesitated to correct them and even install the most up to date hardware on my gear to make sure that they are as tough as possible. I'll have them in my 17lb Bf-109 and my 16lb P-40 later this week and will have a flight report if the weather holds.

FlyandMighty

Lado customer service is horrible in my opinion. I have a set of actuators right now that I can't use because I need Jack pins which Lado won't provide or even point to a source for such things. the Actuators came with no instructions for assembly and when I ask questions I get broken english emails that offer no solutions and blame me for any problems. Wingspan retract customer service is much better.

christophe31

yes you're right
i've answer you too much on SUNDAY afternoon maybe 1 hours each time you asking something...
too poor after sale service..... THAT'S CLEAR !!!!
i've told you how to do the tapped hole, you cannot succed to this, and you blame me.....normal....it's MY fault...
i've purpose you in the last mail and to help you, to make 2 sliders for you for free and already tapped, and you don't answer ... yeah too poor services....for sure.

and sorry for my bad english , i'm sure your french it's better?

i'm going back to my english lessons.


ps: again i answer you 20min after your posting.... pfff no communication....stupid froggies!!!lol

Whistling Death

You are right. There are 1000's of us waiting around for electric retracts in this size range, giants scale that is.
Also, I have 3 warbirds in the 70" range and I am watching this like a hawk to see if the Wing Span retracts will work for them. I want to get rid of the air retracts for all of them.

I may be wrong but I don't see the Robart electric retracts being reasonably priced so I don't know if they will fit the bill there.

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

I don't see the Robarts being priced well either if any of their other goods are of any indication. I'm waiting to get my retracts back from Wingspan and then they're going into two 70" warbirds. If I would have gotten them a week ago, I would a flight report. Unfortunately, snow is now on the ground so it will be at least April before I can get the birds in the air. I'm anxious to find out how they hold up.

Whistling Death

Move down here to Alabama and you can fly practically all winter.

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

Somebody will eventually take the sting out of price vs performance for the big birds. Who knows what robart will do at this point. Depends on how many units they want to sell I guess.

RBean

I installed a pair in my CMP Zero. Worked ok, the one smoked. Called Mike Kramer at Wingspan, he said it was a circuit board problem they have just identified and already have a fix. I sent them back before Thanksgiving and hope to hear back soon. The Zero is a 16 lb airplane. I will report on test flights if I ever get them back. No snow on the ground here, yet.

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

What is this snow stuff you guys keep talking about and why does it impede your flying?

irocbsa

My Feedback: (12)

<sigh> White misery, that's what it is. I'm from Georgia too, so I know what it's like to be able to fly all year. Sweet home Alabama, that's where I'd like to be WD!

RBean

I got my retracts back from Wing Span. These are the 85 degree standard retracts. I re-installed and they operate fine on 6 volts. Don't use much juice. Have only one flight on them as the weather has been eather rain or wind. Had a brief window and was able to get one flight in. They seem to hold up ok on our grass field. There is some slop in them, but no more than the Robarts they are replacing. So far the word is "go" with these retracts. They cost less than the new Lado's and are much more robust that the E-Flite electrics and are Robo Strut ready. They take up to 1/2" strut. I used 7/16" Robart struts that I already had with a shim. No problem lifting the struts and 4" Robart wheels.

da Rock

Sounds like your luck is the opposite of mine.

Hopefully sending mine back again will get them the power yours seems to have. The picture you posted of your Zero a couple of days ago show air driven gear. I'm guessing those are the Robarts you replaced. The struts and wheels look considerably heavier than what I've got on my Hellcat so the Wingspans really ought to be able to do more than move them an inch or two.

Do you have pictures of the WingSpans in that Zero now?

AZThud

I have a couple of ESM Planes and I just maidened my LA-7, it came in at 19 and half pounds with a full pilot and cockpit installed. I have the ESM gear for both , the LA-7 and the Ki-84 Frank, both planes have been converted with the Lado actuators. I bought mine from Gus at Magnum RC and he handled the conversion for me. Going this route put my gear in the 350 to 400 dollar range (Please do not tell my wife) :-) and they work fine. There is some slop in the ESM units however the 666 actuators haul the 4 inch rubber wheels with 11mm struts up and down perfectly and the struts on the LA-7 are long!

I also have a 120 size Blackhorse T-28 and installed a set of the Eflite units, I have to agree that the eflites can't handle heavy wheels or gear legs, I am using the stock main legs from BHand a 3/8 inch Robostrut on the nosewheel. My T-28 has nose gear doors and the eflights can barerly pull up the strut and pull the doors close. So far these have also worked fine and the T-28 has over an hundred flights on it.

I have heard nothing put good things about the Wingspan units and am patiently waiting to tryout the electric tailwheel on my LA-7.

Hope this might help.

Cheers

da Rock

RBean and AZTHud,

What battery capacity and type are you using to drive your WingSpans?

RBean

I'm using a 6v 2200 mha NiMh battery. The retracts come in regular and fast. Mine are the "fast". I flew today and the retracts worked good and held up to our not so smooth grass field. I've got a video but the site won't take it right now. Says it full.

da Rock

My 1300 mAh NiMH 6v wasn't powerful enough so it seems there is a capacity requirement with NiMH. Good to know.

The LiPo works them fine now on 7.4V and the amount of capacity used to operate them 5 times was zip. It really looks like the capacity needed for NiMH is just to get them to supply enough voltage. The demand must be pretty sharp.



The fact there are two speeds is news to me. There wasn't anything about that on the website when I ordered either set. Guess they haven't gotten around to mentioning that. Wonder if there is a power difference. It would seem that fast would actually reduce the power.

I was going to make a video too, but decided against it until I get them to work.

Thanks for the info.

RBean

When I ordered mine there were two speeds, regular and fast. I ordered fast. These are the 85 degree standard retracts, not the rotators. Flew again today, it was cold but calm. Retracts continue to work fine. Here are pictures of the installed retracts for what its worth.

AZThud

I use a 3 cell 2350 or 2500 mah Lipo and a Castle BEC set to 5.5 or 6.0 volts to drive the electrics on 2 of mine, One uses an HV BEC off of the 12S 6000mah flight batteries. The most flights I have put on in one day was 8 and the 2500 mah battery was at 12 volts at the end of the day, less than half used.

Cheers