Goggles

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I finished making the carbon tail gear doors for the NWHT Corsair and now I just have to figure out a way to open and close them. I'm not going to use air cylinders but want to mechanically close them with the tail wheel somehow.

I do have an idea that is still rolling around upstairs but I wanted to see what some of you have come up with for such a problem and pictures would really be nice.





Thanks for any ideas


Kelvin.

dionysusbacchus

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Hey Goggles,

I cover this pretty good on my web site so I won't go into detail. I use ball links and a ball link aileron connector on the doors. Check my site under the fuselage construction.

Luke

This is what links the door to the tail gear:

dionysusbacchus

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This is how it looks installed:

dionysusbacchus

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It works really slick, install and forget!

dionysusbacchus

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Closed!

smchale

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Nice job Luke, and even a tailhook! Another method I have seen is to have the doors sping open with a light spring (bascially a piece of wire acting like a torque rod). They are connected with some wire or elastic bands to a plate inside the fuse that as the wheel is retracted hits the plate and draws the doors closed behind it. As the wheel comes back out of the fuse the doors open under the load of the spring. This doesn't need much tension at all.

Johng

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I have used the elastic cord available in the Wal-mart sewing section for door-closing. Just tie the two doors together with the cord passing behind the strut, so when the wheel retracts, it stretches the elastic and both doors are held firmly shut. It's nice, 'cause you don't have to be precise.

ww2birds

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I have a simple and reliable system on my Aerotech P47 ... similar to the post above, it uses a length of spring. In the P47, it's about 3" long. The spring is pretty light duty, maybe .030 dia wire coiled about 3/16" dia. the spring goes from one door to the other, passing thought an eye attached to the Robart gear. The way it's arranged, with the TW down, the spring pushes the doors out, holding them open ... with the gear retracted it pulls them closed. Really simple, and no problems yet. Let me know if you want a picture...

Dave

BobH

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Dave, I need to hook up the tail wheel doors on my Yellow P-47 So I would appreciate a picture of your Aerotech set up.. BTW.. the Aerotech is a super kit huh?. If I had the $$ I would have their Mustang in my hanger!.. thanks BobH.

ww2birds

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Sure Bob, no problem. I will take some pix tonight and post them.

Yes, the Aerotech kit is a beauty ... Wayne Siewert built mine for me. As you probably know, he is a superb craftsman. He had Robart do a special tailwheel with a welded-on eyelet for the spring (you will be able to see that in the pix), but I am sure that one could retrofit the standard gear for an acceptable substitute.

If you take a close look at the picture of me smiling next to the plane, you will note that the upper gear doors were off that day. The split gear doors and their respective hinging, is one of the major headaches of any P47 ... Wayne has a pretty good system on the aerotech model. I am not sure what Yellow is doing on theirs. To get it really right, you need to replicate the shrink bar on the full scale P47 .. anyway, long strory let me know if that is of any interest to you. Darrell at Sierra precision is making a set of CNC gear with a shrink bar but I have not seen them.

The plane Wayne did for me is "Norma", there are some nice pix from a flyin last year in NJ that you can see... There is a full-scale Norma in the New England air museum in Hartford.

Check out the pix .. some on the ground, some flying:

http://www.jerseycoastrcclub.com/jcr...ry_2002_WB.htm

BobH

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Dave, I saw your plane a couple of years ago at Warbirds over Delaware and again last year. I think you flew it last year if memory serves?.. I saw Sierra's gear at Toledo this past spring. Matter of fact I had my hands on Darrells 1/6 P-47 gear. I had the Yellow gear given to me... so I had a hard time turning it down LOL.
Wayne is a super craftsman! I also know Jim Sandquist who flies at TG and Scale masters with Wayne. Watched Jim's P-47 crash into the infield a few years ago for unknown reasons.. was a shame for sure.. BobH.

smchale

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Dave,

If my memory serves me correct you had an incident at the warbirds over pa last year with the jug. Hopefully it's repaired as it's a gorgeous aircraft!! I was parked next to you with my Hellcat almost ready to fly. It's ready now and should take to the skies soon. Hope to see you again this summer!

ww2birds

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Yes, I did have an "incident" at Quakertown last year ... let's just say it had to do with the soybeans off the edge of the runway, and some bad flying on my part...

She's all patched up (damage was not bad), in process of repainting the patched areas. Of course, Murphy is at work and one of the cracks ran right across the star/bar involving all four colors of paint (OD, dove grey, blue+white).

I am also taking the opportunity to replace the Robart main retracts with some much nicer CNC gear I got from Wayne.

Now if I could just get that Brison 4.2 to put out a little more power....! I have been spoiled by my Yellow Texan with a Husky 5.7 and a Yellow Zero with a Brison 3.2, both of which are quite a bit faster than the jug ... but certainly it is adequately powered for any resonable scale flying.

She'll be back at Delaware and Quakertown warbirds this year.

Your Hellcat is beautiful ... look forward to seeing it in the air.

Dave

BobH

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Dave, what type of paint is your Jug painted with?.Im asking because I was planning on using Chevrons but Aeroloft said their dry transfers where not compatible with that paint. sooo I need a different paint.. I was just wondering what type you were using.. Thanks BobH.

dionysusbacchus

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Somehow this thread got hijacked, anyway... once you try a positive form of closing the doors as is used in full scale aviation you won't go back, I wish I could show how easy my doors work. The 2 minutes it takes to measure the length of the door closing rod will definitely pay off in the long run. Once you try it you won't go back to jock straps, rubber bands and trip wires, I guarantee it!

This is how it is done on the P-40:

BobH

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Dion, thats pretty much the way the P-47 gear is also. I might just do that, it shouldn't be that difficult...? BobH.

smchale

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dionysusbacchus,
good picture! I see you have some sort of cover in there to stop dirt, moisture etc from getting up in there?? Can you elaborate on what you did. I've never seen anything like that before or even thought about it, but it makes sense and seems like a great idea!!

BobH

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Sean, i think thats a full size AC? the Boot on the tail wheel gear is pretty common for that era plane.. even fixed gear planes like the stearman have it... BobH.

bla bla

The old spring (to hold it open) and a "U" shaped strand of elastic consealed between the doors (to close them) is an old time classic and is yet to be beaten on simplicity and operation. If you must have the full hydrolic visual effect...just build dummies.
When done correctly, the elastic is completly invisable and works superbly. Zero maintainence for years.

ww2birds

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Guys,

Went to take some pix of the aerotech setup last night, but forgot that I had taken the tailwheel out for maintenance, so I can't post a picture at the moment ... sorry about that.

I really enjoyed the comment about jockstraps :-)

Bob,

Wayne painted my P47 with a pre-catalyzed lacquer that he uses in his "day job" as a commercial cabinetmaker ... I don't know the brand name or other details.

Dave

BobH

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Dave, thanks for trying !!.. BobH.

dionysusbacchus

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No it's not difficult. It is nice but not necessary to have access from the top to make the measurement for the actuator rod when the gear are retracted.

Luke

dionysusbacchus

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It's a full scale picture of a p-40! But the idea is the same as used on my Corsair.

Luke

dionysusbacchus

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To know if it's been beaten you have to try other methods! I have, and nothing beats the full scale method as used on my Corsair. We are talking tail wheel here, and on the Corsair no hydraulics were used on the tail wheel doors... or any other WWII bird that I know of! Goggles looks like a really clean worker, very precise, he would have excellent results with the ball links. Like I said, once you try it you won't go back, it's that simple!

Luke

Goggles

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Luke, after looking through your web site I noticed how you did your main gear doors and that set up looks like it may work also. Have the tire press up against the hinged 'U' shaped rod in the middle and at the opposite end (furthest away from the hinge) of the rod would be the linkage that would run to the doors. It would just be a matter of adjusting for the right throw. It's kind of hard to explain (don't laugh at my quick sketch).

I'm not sure if there is enough room to run a direct linkage inside, but you guy's have given me some great advice and lots to ponder. I appreciate your help greatly.

Thank you,

Kelvin.