Dick Spreadbury gave me a pair of really nice Sullivan Pylon Brand sprung gear legs that he’s had unused in their packaging for about 20 years – thanks Dick, you are a star!! Dick used a similar pair on his Pete Nye original prototype, and suggested that I remove one side of the U-shaped wheel mount. With this done they look remarkably like the full-scale Hawk’s trailing link legs.

I epoxied 1/4in ply doublers beneath the wing brackets, seen in Pic 10. Then I made new mount plates from1/8in tufnol and installed the retract units straight and as far forward in the bays as I could. Pic 11. The plates screw to the ply doublers. When the gear is extended, the wheels are about 3/4in further aft compared with wire legs. Pic 12 shows the retract bay covers installed.