Go Back  RCU Forums > RC Airplanes > Seaplanes
Reload this Page >

landing gear in floats

Notices
Seaplanes Aircraft that typically take off and land on water...radio control seaplane discussions are in here.

landing gear in floats

Old 02-22-2003, 04:28 AM
  #1  
Schubox
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sioux Falls , SD
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default landing gear in floats

Testing the theory of putting retractable landing in floats, is it possible?
Old 02-22-2003, 05:06 AM
  #2  
WeLaserCut
Senior Member
 
WeLaserCut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Barrie, ON, CANADA
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default It has been done

Very easy to do. I scratch built mine.
All you need is a few scraps of aluminum sheet (.080 or thicker) some tin snips a drill and a set of floats that you can mount the wheels in.
I copied full size retracts and built a little box for the main gear to go up inside the floats. Even had little gear doors that closed over the wheels for better water performance.
the nose gear retracted up to form the front of the float.
Retraction was done with a Futaba retract servo and a few feet of flex cable.
Sometimes I forgot to put the wheels down when I was land flying. Only forgot to put them up once when I was on the water.

Splash, trip.....sploosh!

I can give you more details if you are interested.

Peter
Old 02-22-2003, 10:23 PM
  #3  
Schubox
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sioux Falls , SD
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default floats with retractable landing gear

Thanx Climate for the info. If you have the time, would enjoy a few more details.
Old 02-22-2003, 10:25 PM
  #4  
beenie
My Feedback: (9)
 
beenie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Baton Rouge , LA
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default landing gear in floats

Climate,
I would also like more info. I have been interested in an amphib for quite a while.
Old 02-23-2003, 07:03 AM
  #5  
WeLaserCut
Senior Member
 
WeLaserCut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Barrie, ON, CANADA
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Amphibians

What I did was make a foam cored float just like our current Sporty 40 kit. I added a plywood box just behind the step that was big enough to hold 2.25” Du-bro wheels.
The nose wheel was a 1.25” wheel, and was mounted on a plywood plate just back from the bow of the float.

I have attached drawings of the full size aircraft retracts for you to get the idea.
The hydraulics were omitted and the wheels were actuated by a retract servo mounted in one of the floats using flex cable.

Enjoy.

http://www.climateboatworks.com/pict...withwheels.gif
http://www.climateboatworks.com/pict...oseretract.jpg
http://www.climateboatworks.com/pict...ainretract.jpg

Peter.
Old 02-23-2003, 11:07 PM
  #6  
Schubox
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sioux Falls , SD
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default landing gear in floats

Climate thank you for the intel, it was much appreciated.

Jason.
Old 02-24-2003, 03:16 PM
  #7  
Closterman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: La Sarre, QC, CANADA
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default steering

I just want to know how do you put the steering linkage on the nose gear?? Did you have pics of your float? I'm very interressed to put amphibian float on my Beaver. My Beaver plan is now finish at 99% and the next step is to make the float plan !!
Old 02-24-2003, 03:42 PM
  #8  
scale only 4 me
My Feedback: (158)
 
scale only 4 me's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 10,380
Received 51 Likes on 49 Posts
Default landing gear in floats

I've toyed with this idea also,Would love to be able to taxi the plane into and out of the water??

Did you have steering ?

I think one less complicated way would be to use variable braking on the main wheels instead of stering linkage for the fronts?
Old 02-24-2003, 03:43 PM
  #9  
WeLaserCut
Senior Member
 
WeLaserCut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Barrie, ON, CANADA
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Steering????

No steering on floats my friend. The front wheels caster.
If you put steering on a set of floats, you would trip the aircraft on 99% of all tera firma landings.
The real thing steers with brakes and rudder input.
Most RC aircraft have enough rudder input that brakes are not needed.
I could turn my old Goldberg eagle on about 6 foot circles with the floats. That was better than with the nose wheel.
One thing to remember is that it takes practice to get it just right.
Castering wheels are a bit slow to start, and come out of a turn the same way. Once in a turn though, they are very nimble.
Putting a turning limiter on the front wheels is a good idea. This keeps them from turning far enough to cause the plane to trip if they are full over.

Look at the drawings I posted earlier. They will explain how it all works prety well.

Peter
Old 02-24-2003, 05:41 PM
  #10  
Closterman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: La Sarre, QC, CANADA
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Steering

No steering can work with a small aircraft, but I don't know if it work on a big plane (My Beaver will have 103" of WS). My idea is to put brake on the main wheel like the real one.
I will try this idea probably this summer
Old 02-24-2003, 06:16 PM
  #11  
BillHarris
Senior Member
 
BillHarris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Jasper, AL
Posts: 837
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default landing gear in floats

Thanks for the info, Peter. I figured that wheels-in-floats would have ground handling like a shopping cart.

I'm building a 1:6 Beaver and wheels would be nice to taxi into the water, if not use for actual landings.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.