I have a Dash 5 pattern plane I'm trying to sell. If no one buys it I'll build it. It is designed for tri-gear retracts. I would want to make it a tail dragger. Any ideas on how to do it? Thanks.

I see you haven't built the wing yet - good! I wouldn't be a hard thing to do, you just have to make sure you place the gear so the wheels are a bit forward of the C.G.

The Dash 5 is a GREAT flying airplane, one I would love to have, just dropped all my $$$'s into a 33% Extra, though...I had a kit, and when I got out of the hobby, let it go, regret it since!

It may even be possible to reinforce the fuse right in front of the wing, and place fixed gear there. I don't remember the exact configuration of the Dash...

Yoshioka made some great kits! Had a Chaser, that started with a .29 Supertigre, stock exhaust, ended up with a .34, on tuned pipe, just before going for a swim in the Wabash River (yup, both me AND the plane!!)

Thanks for the information.

Also, some tail draggers are a little Squirrelly on take-off runs if the gear is too far back. Depending on other design factors, straight tracking can be difficult and may produce unpredictable ground loops.

One rule of thumb is to align the axles directly below the leading edge of the wing. This assumes a straight wing design with no sweep back. Just make the measurement at 90 degrees to the chord line of the wing.

old thread here...