PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

Hey all,
I'm fed up with nose wheels, so I'm ditching it... (I'll see u in hell nosewheel!). I just got back from a hobby shop with some parts for a conversion. Few questions though. How far in front of the cg should I place the mains? I got some 1/4" and 3/32" model ply. I'm planing on laminating the floor between the firewall and the next former back. Which ply should I use for this? Second, I plane to laminate 2 sheets of 1/4" together for the actually rail (where I'll drill the mains into) then use some square stock, notch it to fit over the rails, and then epoxy that to the floor/walls/rails. Does this sound like a fairly robust mounting plan?
THanks
-John

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

I LOL'd at that. :D

I was told to install the gear with the back edge of the mains lined up with the wing's leading edge. A few pics of my LT-40 build...

*** mains are backwards in this pic ***

http://somegeek2.home.comcast.net/sig_lt-40_build_8.jpg

http://somegeek2.home.comcast.net/sig_lt-40_build_9.jpg

I just installed a piece of 1/4" model plywood on the plywood fuselage floor to hold the blind nuts. Worked well.

What style of landing gear you using for your mains?

somegeek

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

thanks geek. That's where I was planning to put them actually. Cool. I picked up some of these at lhs.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNM65&P=0
I'm thinking of boring some holes in the legs to lighten them a bit. I think I will go ahead with my original support plan then. Are field is less then ideal, and my landing seem to be hit or miss. Sometimes picture perfect, other times.... well... I think butt ugly about covers it.
-John

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

Lightening things is always good but also consider that it might weaken the part when it's strength is needed on a hard landing if you're still learning to grease them. :)

somegeek

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

Indeed, these guys seem to be built with a bit of overkil though. Lol. I'm not planning on doing it right away. I'm hoping to get the mod done by tomroow so I can go to the field. The weather is showing just to perfect of wind. Got to gte my session of wack-a-mole on landing in with the fields resident gophers. Lol.

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

I see I'm not the only one that's gotten fed up with the nose gear on his pt-40. I've slowly started thinking about what it would take to convert to a tail dragger too, but haven't made any plans yet, so if you get it done, post some photos. It may encourage me to do the same.

Reminds me, I'm supposed to fix the nose gear tonight again.

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

Sure. I'll throw some pictures up. As of now, I just need to pick up a 4-40 tap at the hardware store tomrow so I can screw the tail wheel mount in. The conversion wasn't bad at all. I cut out the tank floor, and glued in a piece of 3/32" model ply onto the floor. Then I glued 2 pieces of 1/4" ply together, and glued them to the floor just infront of the former where the wing leading edge is. I then glued some hardwood square stock between the firewall and the 1/4"x2 ply rails I hadput in. I ditched the idea of going over the top as I didn't have the right wood for that. Would have made it stronger I'm sure but it will do. Then drilled and tapped holes for the mains mount, mounted them up, drilled holes for the axles, put them on, glued back in the tank floor. I epoxyed the spring from the sullivan tail wheel mount into a hole in the rudder, and am waiting to get the tap tomorow. Then drill and tap and screw in the mount, mount the tail wheel, balance and off I go.
-John

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

I finished the conversion this morning. Took it out in the evening and put 4 flights on it. Works like a charm. Need some bigger main wheels though to keep from mowing the grass with my 12-4, and need to adjust to the handling. Drove it into the weeds a few times. I'll see if I can post some pics tomroow.
-John

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

back in the day i wrecked my pt-40 so many times we took the gear off of it and hand launched it. lol

RE: PT-40 taildragger conversion
 

Ok, I got the pics. Sorry, I can't get any pics of the construction as It was already done and hidden by the tank floor, but it's simple and you should be able to figure out a method if you do go same route. I did have to glue on the tail wheel mount after screwing in too. Here r the pics:

Ps. I know I have the elevator horn on wrong. Figured that out after I did it;) But it works.