RedxFred,

Hmm, I suppose it was a bit cryptic. When the tailwheel retracts, the steering horns move up in a small arc, and the the length of the control cables changes... can't remember whether it becomes longer or shorter. As a result the cables become slack, and in order to keep the wheel aligned with it's wheel well, the control cables need to accommodate the change in length by using springs at some point along the linkage.

On the issue of retract or not, I may have been wrong. I've just looked through the references again, and none show non-retracting, but oddly I have in front of me a photograph of the Confederate Airforces P40-N in flight with the tail wheel down. I'll see if I can e-mail you the picture in a minute

On the reference, I used two Squadron/signal publications...
No. 8 Walk Around P-40 Warhawk ISBN 0-89747-361-2
Aircraft no. 26 Curtiss P40 in action ISBN 0-89747-025-7

I also have Flying Legends John M. Dibbs/Tony Holmes MBI Publishing CompanyISBN 0-7603-0563-3

Have a go anyway.