Hello All, being this is my first post I want to say that this is a great forum! I want to convert a big stick 60 arf to a tail dragger, but don't know what is required as far as the tail wheel mounting goes. Does the Fuse need to be reinforced? I know you have to move the main gear up near the leading edge, and that the CG may be affected, but that's about it. can anyone give me some detailed information?

Thanks!

Converting to the tail dragger version of the GP Big Stik is relatively easy.
1. Add a piece of plywood, 1/4 inch x 2 inch long x width of interior to the inside of the fusilage at or near the leading edge of the wing. Or you can straddle the former there with two one inch strips. Add triangle stock at the sides to re-inforce. Transfer the hole location from the aluminum landing gear thru the bottom of the fuse, thru the plywood. If blind nuts are to be used, the drill size will be the equal to the body diameter of the blind nut. If 1/4-20 nylon screws are to be used, use a #7 drill, then tap thru. Harden the threads with thin CA.
2. Add your favorite tail wheel bracket assembly directly to the bottom of the fuse at the trailing end. Use bracket mounting screws long enough to go thu the stab and into the plywood shelf to which the stab glues. Cut a small notch in the leading edge at the center of the elevator to clear the tail wheel drive wire. This wire (3/32 dia) should be long enough to come from the wheel, thru the bracket, past the elevator, and upward about an inch above the bottom of the rudder. At that point, bend the wire rearward, cut to a length of 3/4". after drilling a hole for it in the leading edge of the rudder. Cut a groove for the wire in the rudder downward from this hole into which the wire will seat. Epoxy the wire in place.
3. Go flying!.

There,now...wasn't that easy?

Regards,
DrGO

Thanks! Doctorgo, I appreciate the help! Should be a piece of cake!

Thanks! Doctorgo, I appreciate the help! Should be a piece of cake!

Thanks Doctorgo, I appreciate the help! Should be a piece of cake!

Any pics of this?

Do a search for stick and taildragger and conversion and you should get the thread that has been posted on this topic. It has photos of some good work and some functional work. I converted my world models super stunts 40 to a taildragger with info I learned there, and it worked great!

I converted my Super Stunt 40 and 60, both Stik type planes, to tail dragger. I posted pics of them somewhere in these forums a while back.

The mains are a no brainer. Add the ply backplate and bolt right on.

THe tailwheel is not difficult, but does require some planning depending on type of assembly you choose. I usually use the ho-hum tailwheel brackets that came on other ARFs, where I had replaced with better ones. ANyhow, not much reinforcement is required, but if you use one of those that mounts flat on the underside of the fuse (e.g. Sullivan), you may want to cut out a small patch of covering where you want to mount the tailwheel bracket, and glue on a piece of liteply. It will give the bracket a firmer base to mount on. Plus then you can use screws instead of needing nuts & bolts.