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Old 12-20-2005 | 10:07 PM
  #185  
gfl
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Baltimore, MD
Default RE: Air Hogs Aero Ace!

DannyR - Sorry, I dismantled my AA's mods so that I could return it to TRU. For my front gear, I used Dubro brand 1/4 inch wheels (dont know the part number - 2 wheels and 4 hubs in the package - used 3 wheels total for this mod). Used 1/32 inch wire cut into a 6 inch section. Bent it in half forming a narrow triangle (V) with 3 inch sides. On both sides, 1 inch from the triangle, I bent it down in a 90 degree angle and outwards at about a 45 degree angle. On both sides, 1 1/2 inches from this bend, I bent the wire outwards making the "axles" for the wheels. Placed the wheels on the axles and secured them with the hubs. I attached the front gear using scotch tape. I placed it just to the rear of the on/off switch with the triangle towards the tail. For the rear gear, I used the same wheel and 3 inches of 1/32 wire. Bent the wire into the shape of a small "question mark" using about 1 inch of wire to do so. About 1/2 inch from where the loop of the question mark would have completed a circle, I bent the wire in a 45 degree angle downward. About 1 inch from that bend, I bent the wire at a 90 degree angle outwards, forming the rear "axle." Attached the wheel and secured it with a hub. I attached the rear gear with scotch tape also on the tail, just touching the boom/rudder brace. If you could have seen my AA, it resembled a HZ Commander. There was no magic in these measurements, just thought I'd start with something manageable like a piece of 6 inch wire. Like I said in an earlier post, it would take off from the ground in about 4 feet with no problem and it was pretty cool to see something that I made actually work. My only difficulty with the mods seemed to be that the plane, when turning, would tend to go into a spiral and counter steering was required, often putting into a spiral the other way. Others, hearing my problem, diagnosed it possibly as being lack of proper dihydral in the wings since they had been extended. Considered using fishing line from tip to tip on the wing to combat this since I could not get the wing extensions to stay pointed slightly upwards. I never got the chance before my AA started developing "issues." Hope this description helped. In an earlier landing gear mod, I used the same front gear with the wire (no wheel) only in the rear hoping to minimize tail weight. The plane tended to spin on the ground and not go forward under power. Hope this helps with whatever mods youre considering.