flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

I'm considering a set of ME109 retracts sold by "TroyBuilt Models" to use in my CMP BF109F. I have two questions. Question one, will they fit? Question two, are they worth the purchase?

jmohn

The retracts are fine. Not super heavy duty but nicer that Robarts. I don't know if they will fit, but it shouldn't be too hard to make a mod if they don't. They won't be too much different than how it's setup now.

Good deal for the price for sure.


Jeff

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Please explain your remark "not super heavy duty". The 109 dry, should weigh between 13-15 pounds. Will this gear support the weight?

vallawyer

If ESM is the same as KMP, which I think they are, then I can't really give them a rave review.  Just very sloppy the last I used them, very frustrating.  Maybe they are better now.  I have never had any problems at all with Robarts, ever.  Can't go wrong with them, I say.
This is an OK plane, good for the price, but you have to fly it carefully, it has pretty bad ground handling on grass, it will tip stall, and beware of the spinner.  Mine broke and threw shrapnel everywhere, and I could never get a replacement from Nitroplanes. 

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

I went with the sierra gear because its better QC and the design allows for better ground handeling .
YOu can get a spinner and interior for this plane from Ty on RCU

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

I contacted Sierra last week and he has the designated retracts for the 109 in stock in limited quanity. After these are sold out he probally won't be manufacturing anymore. He said the demand is not there. Next month I will purchase a set from him.

Tys' aftermarket items for the 109 are outstanding and I'll must likely purchase his spinner.

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

From my experience the ESM gear is not as strong as a Robart gear in its similar physical size, the aluminum fork uses a softer aluminum. For the price its great but be sure to always have good landings and make sure you locktite the screws that hold the frame together as they were not done at the factory. The included aluminum wheels are very nice and no trouble with those. I have side loaded my Robart many times and presented no problems I did once with my ESM and I got play, however I opened the gear up and hammered the fork to its original shape. I just needed to be careful.

P51THUNDERBALL

esm gear are junk junk junk

Luftwaffe60

I converted my ESM to the Lado-Tech electric actuators (from MagnumRC) and they now work GREAT!
Actually all of my ESM retracts are converted over!! ESM BF109E, Spitfire and FW190!!

Revy

My Feedback: (1)

+1. Have had nothing but headaches with them. Actually, it is also the last ESM airplane I will ever own. So far only two flights with one belly landing. No big damage.

WingSpanRetracts has actuators, like the Lado, but now offers a new chassis with the actuator already installed as well.

SCALECRAFT

My Feedback: (13)

I have purchased and would suggest the Eflite 120 electrics. Bolt in, plug to receiver. Done. No support equipment. No air leaks, no air valve, no pump, no servo needed.

They are all aluminum. And priced well. Option:Look for cheap struts if wanted. You will total your wing before you damage the retracts on a hard landing.

If you can build an arf, you can install these.

Steve

Asanders

I bought a set of ESM retracts for the Skyshark P-40. Got them pretty quickly, they look real good and heavy duty, have not used them yet because I did not even think they wouldnt fit. The P-40 I bought second hand and it had been fitted with Sierra's. The ESM's are of course for the somewhat larger P-40. Looking at the Skyshark looks like it will take major surgery to get these to fit. Anyone with the Skyshark tried ESM's?

donalddresser

My Feedback: (3)

Hey Alan, what you been up to? I've been thinking of getting a set of these for my p47, the Spring airs I have are just not strong enough for an 18lbs plane. I'm kind of scared to get the ESM's and find out they dont hold up, of course the Sierra's are twice as much but you know those are good. will be interested how the perform. Hope all is well.

Whistling Death

All I can say is don't cut corners on your gear. If go ahead and pay the price it will be one less headache you will have to deal with. The Sierra's I have purchased were so easy to install, rig up and use it made me think I was doing something wrong.
People gripe about the retracts sometimes costing as much or more than the ARF but that doesn't matter.

On the other hand if you don't mind constantly tinkering with your gear to keep them working get the ESM's.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

that's what I did to mine and they lock up and down with little to no play I haven't flown the plane yet ESM FW190 so they haven't had any hard landings but the LADO actuators work well with the ESM units

telejojo

I have the ESM Hellcat with them and I can't get them to work very good at all,I think I will go with the Lado as well.I don't know about this airplane I had to add 1lb. 7oz to the nose to balance with a 26cc RCGF engine.

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

I think sierra retracts are the best, and in computers IMB was also the best . In 2011/12 the best is only as good as the inovation that they can imagine in order to be better .In current marketing world we use three terms fad , trend and evergreen. Eletric retracts were a fad , they emerged into a trend and now matured into an evergreen .
Fad is 6 to 18 months , trend is typical 18 months to two years and evergreen is consistant growth with three years or more .
Sierra can continue with its existing plan , catering to the top end of the best of the best with a great reputation and for the record I own 5 sets of sierra in total .
However , I can tell you that if they Sierra stays the same and does not investagate eletric as a viable option , then there business long term (if they even care ) will suffer.
Personally when you make these comments in open forums , people get there skirts up and defend, ect .My comments are 100% unemotional and tied to business , fact remains eletric retracts are going to stay , grow and flourish in this hobby so in one chooses not to design to an obvious trend , then so be it and live with the results.
If we chose esm in epower over the gold standard Sierra in air , its not a knock or are willingness to want to tinker, its our desire for an epowered format that is not avaliable from #1 .
If you go back when epowered retracts were started , I was one of the 100% naysayers that said "never" !!! Then I tried them and all I can say is wow!!!

twn

The retracts on my esm p47 are ok and function. One is sloppy but works. A bit of right to left play on the struts. Struts seem strong. But the air package is garbage. Do not trust any of it. I used a robart vrx kit.

Whistling Death

LDM I agree with everything you say here. I guess it would be very expensive and/or troublesome for gear manufacturers to change some proven fabrication techniques over to offer their gear with electric actuators. BUT I don't think the retract manufacturers can ignore this much longer. The demand is already there and has been for years. Hello Darrel...........................
Electric beats air in every way imaginable, IMHO, and I dare anyone to try electric retracts and not fall in love with them. They are versatile and very easy to install.

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks Blake and I do wish darral would experiement into the eformat !!! Imagine the quality of sierra combines with epower !!!

Whistling Death

Brother I would buy a set of electric Sierra's so fast it would set the box on fire.

Asanders

Hey Don, looks like you are still alive and thriving in PA. The ESM's I got looked to be top quality. I dont know if there is a difference in their smaller retracts. These were quite large. I wouldnt hesitate to use them if I could have gotten them to fit in the plane. They were designed for a larger airplane than the one I got, so I don't know about their other retracts. I am considering getting a set for the Spit as I need some in my ol Dynaflite Spit. I swiped those for my 109.

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

Most of these actuators are "drop-in" replacements for standard air pistons so there is no excuse for not offering an electric option or, at the very least, a price break for chassis only retract mechanisms. Leave the air cylinders off and discount the units to reflect that. No retooling necessary.

With the ever increasing number of quality, powerfull and reliable actuators out there pnuematics are destined for a very short life at this point. From a purely "good business sense" standpoint it seems Seirra and Shinden both would be wise to make the move to strike a deal with one of these actuator mfg's or distributors now rather than later and join, even set, the trend. Shortsightedly or stubbornly refusing to modernize has destroyed too many excellent mfg's already for anyone to think they are immune to it.

I'm seeing trade info on great new advances on the electrics in terms of overall strength and user definable parameters within the actuator such as, delay, reversing, end points, and selectable time before stalled condition auto shutoff already available to us and one mfg is soon to be offering three different speed ranges of actuators that are then user definable within the range! 3-8 seconds, 7-14 seconds and 14-21 seconds based on a 6v input....no outboard modules required! Lightwieght programable electronic sequencers are dropping in price and are becoming easier to program via USB interface and the variables in configuration blow away any air system.

Who really wants to deal with hoses, leaks, servo valves, pnuematic sequencers and lots more hoses, cylinders, pumps, gauges, fighting with restrictors for that "scale speed", hiding air inlet valves, pumping the system up after every few flights, quick connectors (that aren't or leak) when you can go electric economically, easily and reliably? There will very quickly be the time when you can put all of your E-tracts and e-door drivers in, have an incredible E-sequencer if you require it, shave a significant amount of weight off the all-up-wieght and save yourself a ton of hassels.........wait a minute.....we're already there. You couldn't pay me to do air again!

kwik

Yes, If Darrel had a companionship with the most successful electric actuator company, the result would be fantastic,
almost unbeatable. All he had to do, was letting them fabricate the electronics inside his cylinders, and, voila!

If this happened, the first thing I would do, would be to experiment on checking whether I could use the same battery
I use on the EI unit for the engine, as power for the retracts. I just do not want a 3'rd battery in there.

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

frets I agree with everything your saying but ..... some of the after market offerings are not economical at all .
If you take a esm set of retracts and send them in for e-conversion you can pay upwards of $200 more so now you are at $349 , that = Sierra on avg , so why bother ?
If you telling me that the retracts with e-actulators combined can be $150 thru $250 for a 75" and under warbird then your in the market.
I know you get what you pay for but its proven that there are options that are reliable and dont have to cost more then your plane .
The new esm eletric retracts will be very interesting to see how they deliver . I have ueing eletric retracts for two years now in my smaller eletric warbirds 63" and under EPO ( so they are light planes ) .
I have looked into the eretracts from rclander and they have there issues , now there easily fixed but not for everyone .The circut board slides ever so lightely and will create inconsistant retraction .This can be fixed by adding a music wire in the gap .The bigger issue is the reverse polarity .However you are talking about a $93 set of retract that can be used in regular retraction of rotatiing action