Landing Gear

Before we start on the landing gear I want everyone to stand up, hold up their right hand, and repeat after me. I, (insert your name), do solemnly swear to use Locktite, preferably red, but green will do, and not use blue, on all the screws used to hold on the main landing gear. I, (again insert name), do understand that failure to use Locktite on the main landing gear screws could be cause for my landing gear falling off at the worst possible time. I, (the name please) understand that if I'm really lucky both will fall out at the same time permitting a nice belly landing, but if only one falls out I (name) will probably beat the daylights out of my plane upon landing.

Now we have that out of the way and ya'll will remember to use Locktite on the gear screws we'll get started.

The main gear come in two parts, each with (3) pre-threaded holes that accept a 10-32 screw. I could not find any in the hardware kit but I used 3/4" x 10-32 with a flat and lock washer at each location. There is a slot under the covering on each side of the fusleage for the gear legs to be inserted into. When I first inserted the gear the threaded holes did not line up all that well with the holes inside the fuse so I reversed the gear to see if I had them on the wrong side. Nope, the holes looked to be wrong.

Doing a little more research and a few hmmms later, it was concluded that the holes in the gear were just fine but the slots in the side of the fuselage needed to be cut about 1/8" father aft than where they stopped. Since the fuselage is balsa a couple of quick passes with an Xacto knife fixed things right up. BTW, don't use the holes in the deck for a can. They're for the landing gear.... Installation of the gear legs after that was quick and easy. I kinda liked not having to reach up inside to add a nut or use a hex wrench in a tight space. This is much to nice. I shouldn't say that 'cuz he'll prolly change it to something harder now

I have a choice in tailwheels to use on this one. The one that comes with the plane or one I have from RCBlimpro. Since someone took away my option of using a tail mounted rudder servo I've opted for the stock tailwheel. It's also a little longer and extends farther aft which has two benefits aside from a little more weight. One is that you get to use the hole that's already drilled for the tailwheel and not need to drill a new one, and two, it's long enough I should not be banging the end of the rudder on the ground when I pull up into a hover. Did much too much of the rudder bashing thing with my Edge and it's very hard on a servo using direct linkage.

The tailwheel comes with a couple of "U" brackets that are used to secure it by using some small sheet metal screws set into the bottom of the fuselage. Toss the screws and obtain either some 4-40 or 6-32 allen head sheet metal screws. Use those to secure the "U" brackets. Just drill 4 holes in the bottom of the fuselage after centering the tailwheel rod. There is a hardwood doubler under the plywood of the aft fuselage that makes for a solid and secure tailwheel mount. Harden you screw threads with some thin ca before you install the screws for the final time.

Those "U" brackets fit a little loose on the tailwheel rod so I used some glow fuel tubing with a large inside diameter to quiet things down between the tailwheel rod and the brackets. Easy to do and acts like an additional tiny shock absorber. You'll note a short metal tiller that's included in the tailwheel package that comes with the plane. Install that on the bottom of the rudder for tailwheel tiller steering. If you don't like the ground handling then you can make a longer one out of 1/8" aircraft ply or something to increase the tailwheel effectiveness. The edges of the holes in the tailwheel tiller are pretty sharp and hard to dull. Remember that when you go to connect your tailwheel springs. Using fishing line or other regular type string will get cut easily. I like to make a small cable loop out of left over rudder cable and run it through the tailwheel tiller. Then I attach whatever to that.