[QUOTE=rhklenke;12082419]I had a 1/9 scale F-15 from FEJ that was very difficult to take off. The main problems were a main gear stance that was too narrow and a nose gear steering system that was too sloppy. Even after modifying the main gear mounts to angle the gear outwards and replacing the POS FEJ nose gear unit with a Robart one, it was very difficult. It wasn't just that the nose steering was sensitive, but that because of the overall geometry of the gear system and the "looseness" of the gear (both mains and nose) the plane would wander during the take off roll and any input to correct it was likely to cause it to "wheelbarrow" with predictably disastrous results.

I put a single axis JR G500a gyro on the nose steering *only* (not the rudders) and that fixed the problem. I actually had the rate on the gyro turned up fairly high, but because the gyro put the input in so quickly and removed it so quickly when the plane reacted, the overall result was that the plane tracked *much* straighter without it. I still used low rates on the nosewheel during take off runs to avoid over steering from my inputs to correct an overall drift that may be caused by wind, or initial lineup, etc.

The gyro was the only thing that made the takeoff run reliable enough to make the plane a daily flyer...

Bob[/QUOTE
Hi Bob...I'm kind of dealing with the same thing as your 15. I can go down the runway but anything other than a very minor correction she will wheel barrow. The jet is a 1.35 HE 162. I have the steering cables like guitar strings and I am doing reasonably well with it but to make this a little more dependable I feel like a nose gyro would be a good idea. I was thinking of a simple rate gyro on the nose only. What type of gain setting did you end up with on your 15?
thx Vin...