My friend is considering buying a Magic. He is concerned that it does not have a steerable tailwheel. How is the ground handling? Is the wing rubber banded on or does it use nylon bolts? He is planning on using a Irvine .46. Any help would be apprieciated.

I just bought a magic about 15 minutes ago and am planning on useing the tail wheel steering assembly from a World Models Chipmonk that I put through a tree chaseing a bird about two years ago. I of course had to get another it was such a good plane. I also have an Irvine 46 on another plane, has a lot of power and is so user friendly, sounds like a pretty good combo.

The Magic's ground handling with the stock tail wire is non-existant. You cannot steer it at all. A tail wheel can be added with some experimentation. I have not done this yet.

I added wing bolts to mine and it has worked just fine - wooden dowel in the leading edge and 2 nylon bolts through the trailing edge into 1/4 " ply.

I love my Magic and have just purchased the Magic Extra. Check out the Magic Extra.

The Irvine .46 will hover both planes easily.

You can steer the magic with the stock gear easily, but I have my throws really high up on mine. Just use the rudder and ailerons and it will turn. The wing is rubber banded on and that works great. I use a webra 50 with a pipe on mine, 40%nitro, and my dad uses a piped OS LA 46 in his and that works really well also, so your 46 will be good for it.

Thanks for the help guys I appreciate it. What about the pushrods? Did you use the supplied ones or use cable for the pull pull?

Thanks again

Maddogg

I installed a tail wheel on my Magic. Do a search on Magic and Tail wheel. You'll see pics.

I used the pushrods, but Pull-Pull would be fine too.

Mike

Tailwheel....you dont need no stinking tailwheel!!!!! My magic never touches the runway. I just point it towards the runway and take it off in 5 ft. And as far as landings go I usually fly it in and kill the engine when its about 2 ft off the ground and let it roll right up to my feet. Ive always had the philosophy that the Magic was never meant to spend time on the ground. But thats just my $.02 worth.

You don't need no tail wheel, it works fine, it just takes a little longer to taxi, you got to keep a low steady throttle and pull up and use rudder it works fine

I thought that it would not steer at first, and I was right. Then a guy told me to stop holding in down elevator. Now it steers great. It will not win a taxi challange, but is very controllable. When you hold up elevator it puts in a lot of down pressure which keeps the tail from moving easily, once you let off there is little pressure and the tail is happy to move around at your command.

Jason