Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

I'm sure this has been discussed in detail already but my searches have yielded little help. I have become quite fond of float flying thanks to an Ace Seamaster and then a Kadet LT-40 on floats. My current project that I am building is for float flying but I love the idea of having it take off from the runway as well, with floats. I am building a Picca Cessna 182. I would like to install main wheels inside the floats and on the tips. I'm not going to go overboard within the build. I am hoping to simply mount the rear wheels permanently and have the front wheels removeable for water. My question is, will the rear wheels be the cause of trouble if left unretracted for water landings?

Any input for this project will be extremely appreciated. I am currently only pulling the die cut parts and planning to decrease major weight!
Holy heavy thick balsa guys [X(]

Thanks

Laird SS

One of our float flying buddys tried this on a Citabria and found that the wheel wells caused so much drag that he couldn't get airborne. He had to take off from the shore and land on the water. He had nose and main wheels on each float.

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks for the reply, this is what I'm scared of. I can't say I would attempt to take off or land with the front wheels on too without having them retractable.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I think most attempts at someting like that has and will fail due to drag. What you can try though since you aready had thought to unplug the nosewheels its not a stretch to mount the rear mains not inside the floats but instead inboard of the floats along side the float inboard. That would greatly simplify an unplugable axle an make the mains easily removable just like the nosewheel. The mains axles would plug right into the side of the float and go clear to the other side of the float in a brass tube and a simple collor could secure it on the other side.

John

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

That is a great idea and one I contemplated but I am stuck with this crazy notion that everything has to be scale [:@]

Making the rear wheels removable with a hatch that covers the well may be the best option!

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

A lot more work of course and please do post pics of the results along the way. But do be careful as excessive adherance to the extreme scale syndrome can and has a way of killing projects in both construction stages as well as flight stages.

John

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

You want scale? Make it scale!

This is how it's done on the full-scale 182. This keeps the bottom of the float clean and drag-free

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

I must apologize for I assumed any attempt at making this work would follow the scale placement.

I would mount the wheel aft of the step, for sure. I`m still interested in hearing success stories!

I will post pics for sure!