*NOTE: I will update with images tonight*


Yesterday I recieved my set of retracts for my CMP Bf 109. I'll be using the set from KMP.

We all know I've had issues with KMP it the past (with the Fw 190), but letting by-gones be just that, I ordered my set of gear on November 28th. My credit card was charged on Dec. 3rd and my retracts showed up yesterday via UPS.

The retracts were double boxed.

The retract set contains:

2x retract mechanisms. The brackets seem to be beefy and strong. The gear mechanisms are solid machined aluminum. The piston is of decent quality. The nipples are OK. A little soft, but not too bad.

2x Oleo struts. They appear to be machined aluminum. They are similar to the struts older style Shindin machine offered in overal shape and design. Heavy and decent. Wheel axles are screws on both sides with flat surface in the middle. Compression is fairly tight and has about 3/4" of an inch of compression travel. It looks to be a bit adustable via hex wrench similar to how Shindin's struts are. Wheels are kept on via a lock nut.

2x aluminum hubbed main wheels. Tires are hard foam, wheels are narrow. The hub looks nothing like anything the Luftwaffee has ever used but I think there is enough there to work with and do something a bit more scale. Hubs are held together by a total of eight hex screws, four from either side. They seem well balanced.

1x alumumum hub tail wheel. Rubber like wheel, with tread. Honestly I would have liked to see this on the main wheels. Hub is much like the main wheel hubs.

Bag of connectors, piping, air tank, valvles, air connectors, screws and hex wrenches. THROW the HEX WRENCHES OUT. They are not, or they are improperly hardened. I used one wrench to tighten two screws, on the 2nd screw it was totally stripped the wrench and screw. I did have spares from my massive screw and nut stock.

I'm tempted to replace the major screws just in case. Stripping the main screws that tighten the oleo socket does not appeal to me at all.

I'm going to pressurize the system tonight to check the functionality and I'll update then with images.


If anyone has any requests for images or questions, please post them and I will do my best to answer.

Evil,

One problem many have had is with the fill valve. Mine didn't work right. If you add another spring (stronger one) it will work fine. I used one from a ballpoint pen (cut down) and it was fine. I also had some leaks from the more rigid tubing they provide with the retracts. I ended up replacing mine with the silicon tubing like Robart uses (mostly because I didn't like how rigid the stuff was ). The retracts themselves are great and from what I can tell strong, after a couple hard landings with the Bearcat.


Jeff

Update:

I set everything up. Jeff is right, the tubing that ships with the retracts is crap. Its very tough, not very flexible, and rather brittle. Thankfully I have a large amount of Robart tubing for my T-34 Mentor that isn't in use currently. The valve that ships with the retracts is a leaking, whistling piece of crap. Again, replaced with a Robart unit from the T-34. For the price I paid, I cannot complain a tonne, but still, I really wish the Chinese would figure out not all Americans want crappy products...

Other than that once filled with air, the retracts worked great. STRONG and very positive up and down.

On a scale of 1-10 not taking cost into account they are a high 6 low 7, with Robarts at a 5, Shindin at a 8 and Sierra at a 9. For the price I paid, I think it stays about the same, as a set of Shindin's this size is slightly less expensive ($225), and the crappy hardware KMP includes isn't worth it as most needs to be replaced out of the box. The Sierra gear is priced about the same as the Shindins ($230) but again includes no hardware, the Sierra stuff is much more scale than the KMP.

All in all I'm happy with the retracts, disappointed in the hardware that comes with the retracts. If I had known the hardware that came with the retracts was this poor, I would more than likely have just got the Sierra's or Shindins depending on who between Lenny or Darrell could ship soonest.


Some quick images. I'm a horrible photographer so pardon the images.

Evil will this gear give you the same distance /height that the CMP sierra gear provide ?
I know there was talk that some guys may buy the sierra gear made for the KMP and move the rails inward towards the fuse and slightly forward

No way of knowing as I don't have a set of the Sierra gear to judge by.

OK, after using these gear and testing retraction ability and strength...

They are crap.

Consider it a $275.00 lesson. I charged my air tank and started putting the gear thru its paces, I could have saved myself time and money.

The main cylinder on the left wing retract leaked air constantly, I tore the gear apart to figure out what was going on and ended up finding out that the piston doesn't firmly seat against the cylinder wall. At no time did I over pressurize the gear, so I'm not sure where the leak came from. After cycling the right gear for a bit it started working only sometimes. Not a good thing when it comes to retracts. Ends up the piston is actually slightly bent at the rod as I watch it travel up and down in the cylinder. I think I can fix this. Since this gear hasn't flown before

The Aluminum for the mounting brakets are crap. I nearly snapped the left mounting box apart by trying to screw it down tight.

I'm rather pissed at myself right now for not doing some more research and will be buying Shindin or Sierra from now on. Period.

YUP!!!

I couldnt agree with you more..

I got a set fot my ESM Typhoon, and they are garbage......the slop in the lower leg extesion is ridiculous, and the alloy grade is VERY soft.

Its like so much of the Chinese manufactured garbage nowdays...Looks the part, but thats as far as it goes!!!!!

I have a set of Sierra,s from the US comming, will be interesting to see the difference.

I got my retracts for the KMP ME-109 from "Shindin Machine"...many flights and no problems..Using the robart retract "Valve", and tubing...Here is the website www.shindinmachine.com Am sure you'll be happy with these....................Good Luck

I'm going to do my best to use a set of SpringAirs I have. I'll end up using the struts from this set.

I'm doing my best to compose an email to Andrew at KMP, but I'm not sure its going to come out well no matter how I type it up. Its not as if there already wasn't some tension there over the KMP Fw 190.

I just hate learning lessons this way. Its not as if $275 is peanuts. Especially with my Wife's medical bills, I really streched it a bit to pick these up in 2008.

Buyer beware I guess is the best way to put it.

I hope Shindin or Sierra have gear in stock.

oh boy , hope my KMP corsair with retracts are worth the money [X(]

Yea me too! I have another FW190 (currently flying one with the older retracts) and a ME109 with retracts that I have yet to start.

I did give the retracts a look over and found that one leaked air. I returned it and it took three replacements before I got a good one. No issue with the distributor who stayed with it until I was happy, but seems that quality control needs some work.

The two sets that I have now seem to be OK, but I guess the real test will be when I get some landings in.

Terry

I have the exact same problem with my KMP retracts, The piston does not seal on the inside of the cylinder.

What I did was use the pistons out of a wrecked set of robart spring down retracts. the ID of the cylinder is the same as the KMP cylinder.
The threads in the pistons had to be re-tapped to 3mm for the KMP shafts. but my system will hold air overnight in both positions now.

This was the last set KMP retracts I buy. I would gladly spend the extra coin on sierras or something just to avoid all the headaches I had with these crappy retracts to FINALLY make them usable.

Carpilot, the funny thing is you can get the Shindin OR Sierras for less.

The junk that KMP tosses in is worthless.

I use to seal my early versions of CJ gear with clear silicone , seems I may have to do so before I even install them .
I looked at the Corsair gear , they seem to look good but you cant see air leaking just by looking , I have not tested them yet at all

Hello:

Can anyone post the Sierras web page?

Thanks...

http://sierragiant.com/

I think that Troy build will now sell the KMP retracts for $120

I AM INSTALLING THE NEW TROY BUILT RETRACTS IN THE SBD DAUNTLESS. THEY AREN'T WORKING!! THEY HOLD AIR AND THE VALVE MOVES AIR. FOR A SHORT TIME THEY WERE BOTH GOING UP AND DOWN, BUT THEN QUIT. NOW ONLY ONE MAKES A SOUND AND LOCKS DOWN.

THE SYSTEM HOLDS AIR FOR HOURS.

WHAT CAN I TROUBLESHOOT AHD HOW???

I NEED HELP!!!!!!

ED FURCHE FORT WORTH, TEXAS

please contact TBM, and ask for their assistance, they sold them to you, they should sort it,

well that makes up my mind to go with sierra for my sbd

dont get giddy, its a plumbing problem, blocked valve, T connector, something like that, but i cannot sort every teething trouble out, the importer has to do his bit, sadly, i dont see much of them on here, if they are contacted, i dare say they will have a fix, this would have been my first port of call before hitting the forums

I found the Old KMP retracts (gen. 1 - brass air cylinder and wire struts) work like a charm and are very robust only after changing out the gaskets. The newer ones I discovered have loasts of slop and are soft. but it's worth checking/ replacing the cylinder plunge gasket for lubrication/ fit if they are sticking.
Good luck.