Well, I didn't convert my trainer to a tail dragger, but I did replace those flimsy wires with a real main gear strut! Dubro nylon (?) main gear. I've had the strut for over a month and just procrastinated putting it on because I was too lazy to do the disassembly required to add the reinforcing block in the fuse. (That and I been workin' on my SPAD )

I finally ran out of things to do to the SPAD until I get my servos. So I did the work, a few days ago to add the new main gear to the Arrow.

I had to add DOWN elevator to the trim, only a very small amount. I expected the drag to cause it to need up elevator...

Anyhow, bottom line I wish I'd done this to my plane before I ever soloed! My wire gear would flex on the best landing making ground control for touch and go's next to impossible. My first landing with the new strut, I came in a bit low and tried to extend the glide without power. Well the glide extended but i bled off enough airspeed that when it was finally time to let her down she stalled. Being it was only a foot or two off the ground meant that it was just a hard landing. BUT!!! That hard landing would have meant bringing it in for gear re bend. The new strut took the force without so much as a bounce, and powered right up for a perfect line down the runway liftoff and my best touch and go ever!!

NICE!!

As for the tail dragger question. Ive read enough to decide that my SPADStick Im going to build next will be a tail dragger!!! The kids Debonair will remain a tricycle build for now, since it is a trainer.