KenC Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Great incentive guys , I am learning by the minute. Gorilla Glue huh ! Anyone have any tips on turning the free rotating tail wheel ( TN Designs 60" FW 190) into steerable without breaking the bank , or putting the fat kid on the other end of the seesaw. I hear that ground abilities are poor without it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Make sure it’s Gorilla Glue Clear, not the brown foaming stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Somerville Posted July 7, 2023 Author Share Posted July 7, 2023 My Precedent Stampe weathercocked in more than a breeze with the freely rotating tailwheel. To rectify I simply added a rubber band attached just above the wheel stretched back to the base of the rudder. Works a treat and hardly noticeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Simple piano wire pushrod to tailwheel with shock absorbing connection at servo, bottom of the photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 If you can’t manage any of the above, then even a fixed tailwheel will give you better handling than a freely castoring one. A few years back the lovely Grosvenor House DH Comet underwent an upgrade to its temperamental undercarriage, including replacing the fixed tail skid with a castoring tailwheel. This made it a lot easier for the ground crew pushing the aircraft around but the pilot disliked it so much that after the next service the fixed skid was back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 The other option is a closed loop control to the tailwheel, with a couple of springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Frank and Ron , thanks for the piano wire idea, I use this for the rudder on a few builds, but was unsure if fitting two servos to the same channel would be workable ( running out of channels with gear and flaps + 2 for ailerons. ) . The it dawned on me ( a bit slow at times ) that I could use a "Y" connector to the rudder and wheel servos. Nick, your rubber band idea I use ( as do many) on my Wot 4 , however the rudder construction on the FW190 at 60" is rather flimsy, and so I was not too keen to drive a wheel in grass from it, though the rubber band would absorb shock . Great stuff guys, lots to ponder 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 (edited) Ron, on a side note, is that a commercially available shock absorber setup, or a home made version ? Edited July 7, 2023 by KenC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 With only 18mm of potential room , might have trouble swinging a horn . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 My own setup Ken. That space is fine for a tailwheel horn, you don’t need to move it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Tring to figure it Ron, there are all sorts of steps to figure. Servo placement as the ones there are in the mid to avoid the rods ( wood covered in part ) banging on the formers as it narrows. Then the space to run the wires without meeting the rods . I do wish I had built this from new and conquered these foe in their infancy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave parnham Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 So Nick your Nicks on RCSB and dave Tilbury is The Scaleman and i think danny is Septic? But who is Lincolnshires Touch of Cloth? All brilliant builders and all on here at one time or another....just curious Cheers Dave (biplane Fan) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu knowles Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 Touch of Cloth? Simon Lawson from the Isle of Axholme neaar Doncaster. A great guy all round 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave parnham Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 thanks stuart all good build threads good reading material 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Somerville Posted July 31, 2023 Author Share Posted July 31, 2023 Yes Simon Lawson. Just sent him my Bentley drawings for the FW 190 as he has all the parts for the Vailly Fw 190. He says he is thinking of moving it up to the front of his build queue. Saito Fg 90 R3 up front. As mentioned he is a master model builder and seems able to complete his models at a rate I find astonishing. Very much looking forward to seeing his model progress. Re the threads on RCSB, I read several for each of my three warbird builds and found them so invaluable. Tbh I probably would have struggled without them. The weather has been so bad that despite completing my FW 190 two months ago I have only managed half a dozen flights and only a few on my other models. Such is the desperation I have started gathering for my next build. It was going to be a 1/5 Bearcat but the scale retracts are just too expensive. Instead I have a 1/5. set of Jerry Bates plans for his Hellcat,. 96” span. Belair (now SLEC) parts set and additional sheet/strip ordered and plans in hand. Saito FG 90 up front. Another advantage of the Hellcat is that there is one at the Yeovilton Air Museum down the road. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted July 31, 2023 Share Posted July 31, 2023 (edited) Nick may I ask a favour , is it possible to see a photo of the underside of the retracts closed, and the wing guns, did you make the large hole in the leading edge the way the full size has. The shot of the retracts closed in your build set is from directly flat underneath, is there a chance of an angled pic ? Edited July 31, 2023 by KenC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Somerville Posted August 1, 2023 Author Share Posted August 1, 2023 Probably already posted these Ken. carbon cloth moulded over the wing sheeting before cutting the aperture out (the opening is just the uncovered area at this stage). Once cured the extra layer of G10 was laminated for extra strength. They aren’t especially light, but very strong. The wheel cover slides behind the leg cover when compressed. Let me know if there is something specific you need help with. Some good pictures here if you haven’t already found them https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/focke-wulf-fw-190-a-8-in-detail-revisited/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 Thanks for your reply. I may be way off course, but opening the lower wing area , and creating this void, will it become and issue when flying with the wheels down. What I was wondering is, will the void catch the airflow and become a stress point for the wing . Do I need to just decorate this area , or reinforce it ? No I had not seen those additional images of the FW 190, Again having looked at many versions of the full size aircraft, Some have the canons fitted protruding from the wing with the large circular area they seat in, and others only have the recess in the leading edge. Is this purely post war sterilisation of the weapons, or were some fitted with internal units and no protruding barrel. Again the protrusion on the upper wing for the canon , some seem a completely solid lump , and others have a recess on the rear facing sloped area, almost like a port for the spent cartridges.. I have a whole other set of questions over spraying and paints but will save those for nearer the time ..... once the build mountain is conquered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 The wheel wells on my Hurri are open (the wing structure can be seen) and this doesn’t appear to have any detrimental effect when the wheels are down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 I agree. But I prefer to line the wheel wells (1/16in balsa is enough) just to limit how far the mud and grade cuttings can penetrate into the wing! Trevor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Clark 1 Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 I've seen people cut some foam to fill the area behind the wheel wells to stop the air getting in but I'd line them with 1/16 as Trevor says. Keeps them looking scale and stops them becoming scoops.....not that I think they would anyway tbh Nick, Love the Hellcat and I went through the exact same decisions with the Bearcat a few years ago. Either spend the money on retracts (just too much in my opinion) or put non scale ones in which I'd hate then not enjoy the final product. I've still not managed to finish 1 in the time you've done the P-47, seafury and 190 🤣 Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 15 minutes ago, Gary Clark 1 said: Keeps them looking scale Full size weren’t lined but maybe some wing voids closed off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 Thanks guys , I think I like the idea of a crud barrier, never thought of that until it was said and then it was obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Clark 1 Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 2 hours ago, Ron Gray said: Full size weren’t lined but maybe some wing voids closed off. Correct but some have gear wells and that's what would usually limit gear operating speeds, that and the doors. I saw a lad accidentally put the gear down in a Hawk at 420kts (200kts limiting speed) at low level, only lost 2 zip ties on some cabling so I'm sure our models are fine 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 1 hour ago, KenC said: think I like the idea of a crud barrier, Most of the muck thrown up by the wheels ends up on the wing on mine, not in the wells! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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