RCU Forums - WingSpan Retracts into a Hangar 9 P-40

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WingSpan Retracts into a Hangar 9 P-40

Hello fellow R/C flyers. I am in the process of installing a new set of retracts into the Hangar 9 P40 Warhawk. What I am doing is doing a "start-to-finish" retrofit of a new rotating retract into a previously built and flown airplane. Follow along with the install to see what, if any complications I encounter, and my attempts to overcome them.
A little about me; My name is Richard Seng, and I have been flying/building for close to 30 years. Although I do not consider myself an expert in either, I admit that I love both aspects of this hobby. I fly anything from foamy park flyers, and composit hotliners, to giant scale 3D ships and helicopters. I'm a big fan of the Spektrum/JR radios and I currently use a JR11X. I have two sons that also fly, and they too are Spektrum/JR users, and they both utilize Spektrums DX6i's.
The install; The install of the retracts will be into a Hangar 9 p-40 Warhawk that I built close to 6 years ago. Other Hangar 9 warbirds that may be similar are the Corsair, and anything with the "rotating" type retracts. I realize that there has been alot of discussions concerning the plane, and its flight characteristics, as well as the substandard retracts that these models originally came with. Yes the bright Monokoat isnt exactly scale, and the model has many shortcomings if you are a "scale" guy, but the Hangar 9 warbirds have some truely great attributes as well. I believe the main one is just how terrific these ARF warbirds fly. They are very close to what I would expect of a "sport" type model. I have always enjoyed the high speed, low on the deck passes, and the non-scale inverted loops that are within these airplanes flight envelope, but eventually, all good things come to an end when it is time to land. Horror stories abound concerning the failures of the retracts during this critical, but mandatory manuver. After a few flights (and close calls), I relagated my airplane to mothball status hopeing to find a decent set of retracts that would correct this aircrafts one major flaw- landing mishaps.
The field that I usually fly from is grass, however, it is nicely mowed and relatively smooth, and free from rocks and weeds. In flying the plane using this type of surface, the P-40 could be coached into a smooth run-up down the flight line, lifting the tail shortly before rotating into a graceful climb-out. The trick comes when it is time to land. Knowing before hand just how fragile the stock retracts are, and the fact the the P40 does not include flaps, the landings have been known to increase my blood-pressure a few points. The plane does have excellent slow flight capabilities, but even a slow gentle touch-down can and will wreak havoc with the stock retracts. Even if you were fortunate enough to keep the retracts extended, the forward momentum of the aircraft decelerating once on the ground would usually mean an embarrasing "nose-over" as the bird slowed. Granted this can all be made only slightly better if your field has a paved runway.
A few years ago, a small company called "LADO" manufactured a set of rotating retracts that were advertised to be a "direct fit" into the Hangar 9 ARF warbirds. I purchased a set, and did a complete install with postings eventually finding their way onto LADO's website. The Lado rotating retracts were all electric, fairly robust, and did address some insufficiencies with the stock gear. I had finally resorted to shifting my CG as far reward as possible to help ensure that the nose would'nt plant its prop every time I landed. This was marginally better during landings, but the plane flew tail-heavy, NOT FUN. I remember posting that the overall weight difference between the stock landing gear (including removing the un-needed retract servo and all associated linkage) and the LADO's manifesting a reduction of weight of .04 oz of the LADO's. The complete stock system, including the JR retract servo, and linkage/bellcranks had a weight of 6.90 oz, and the LADO's had an all up weight of 6.86 oz. The LADO retracts did solve some problems, however, because the LADO's were still a 90 degree strut throw, the P40 noseing over upon landings were still present. I longed for a simple, robust, electric retract that had a throw of 100 degrees to place the extended main wheels further forward of the CG to help reduce the planes willingness to nose over. Since nothing existed at that time, I again moth-balled the plane, and brought it out only during the rare ocassions that we would fly out of town at a field with a known paved runnway.
There is now a new retract company that looks to have a retract that has addressed "all" of the problems that we have had to endure. While visiting at the great Joe Nall in south Georgia last year, I met a fellow named Michael who was occupying a tent in the vendors area. Micheal had a sign posted in his tent that displayed the name of his company- WingSpan retracts. The lone inhabitant was enduring the Georgia heat to display his products to the masses. As an intrested party, I stopped by his tent to see his offerings. In meeting Micheal, I quickly learned that he was an avid R/C flyer who simply was frustrated with the shortcomings of the retract industry, and set out to build a better mouse-trap. He was enthusiatic about his new products, and had a few of his lastest creations displayed on the table. Micheal was very knowlegable about not only his products, but of most, if not all of the other retracts available.
It was clear he had done his home work and studied hard as I observed his wares displayed upon the table. On display was a "mock'-up" of an airplane consisting of plexiglass that housed a set of his most recent endeavors. The retracts included a tricycle type set with a steerable front nose wheel. As the set was installed into a clear plexiglass model, this allowed you to see the entire rotating mechanism throughout its travel. I watched him cycle the gear numerous times and he gave descriptions concerning the operating voltages, built in safety mechanisms and robustiveness (is that a word?). Although at that time, his inventory did not include a rotating retract to fit my specific application, he claimed that he did in fact have an electric rotating retract that would be 100 degrees that would be availible soon. Micheal gave me a card, and I vowed to keep in touch with him concerning the release of his newest release.
As promised, Micheal and I have keep in contact, and I was pleasantly surprized with a phone call from him a few weeks ago concering his 100 degree, rotating retracts being available. I quickly ordered a set, and I'm on a mission to install them into my H9 P40 asap. Please feel free to follow along as I pursue the install, and feel free to make suggestions, as I realize that there are often better ways than my own at getting something accomplished.