Hope these pictures may helps u to fix tail wheel.

one more..

Hi VC,

Nice looking bird you have up there.

I am a bit apprehensive on the landing gear that you made with bicycle spokes. I doubt they would withstand a hard landing. I like Mjet's suggestion and that is what I have done on may of my smaller planes (< ~3Kg). Sam's idea will also work but I do that for more heavier models (> ~3Kg).

The other thing is, if possible use spring steel for the landing gear. You will save a lot of grief fixing the LG made of bicycle spokes. Check with your local automobile garage. Most of them make springs for suspension etc..

-Ismail

Hi Mjet,

With those nice examples of tail wheels we see very nicely finished Planes.....
would like you to show some pics..... and describe the foam material it looks good. and place to get it.

saurabh

Mjet - thanks a ton for taking all the effort.

Maestro - Too late to change anything now, will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. However, I have placed a weight of 2kgs on the fuselage and left it there for the last 4 hours. So far so good.

VC, Use complete spoke/Al Wire or Umbrella Spoke (Large) and get fold after inserting through flute like below. Please check pictures of my earlier post with more detailed pics.

Thanks to all especially Mjet, I managed to craft a satisfactory tail wheel from spare servo accessories. Used two of them and joined them together for aesthetic appeal and increased surface area.

Tail wheel attached to the fuselage.

Final.

vc sir,
very nice built..i could have helped you with rear landing gear issue.i had internet issue at my place.
got to see your build just now..
regards.
hitesh..

Thanks Hitesh, all the best for your build. Upload your photos soon.

am i getting to maiden this beauty ?

PS
Did you get it ? both

Great build VC...
I'm just starting in this hobby and have extensively gone through the beginners' area.. Since you've made the landing gears and tail wheel assembly yourself (i.e. not the one bought from a rc seller), I would like to know the way in which you have placed the wheels on the metal wire? I mean, what mechanism holds the wheels to the metal wire/spring steel, while allowing the wheel to rotate freely - any special type of mini nut-bolt or the like?
Thanks..

Rcpa (too long a handle!) - yes got everything thanks. With your permission, I would like to maiden this baby. I've kept three better models for you to maiden.

S_K - The wheel is held between the bend in the bicycle spoke and the threaded nut. Will try and post a close up picture to explain.

@S_K,,
just have a look at this picture .
you can make this entire structure from a single spoke.

regards..
hitesh

Thanks Hitesh, the pic very much answered my query..
But one query still remains, at one end of the wheel, there is the spoke - but the other end is open... It is quite possible that wheel may come off from that end... So, (if we dont get the right nut) can we use some hot glue over there - after ensuring that the wheel is perfectly moving/spinning - so as to secure the other end?

@ VC - really awesome build, and waiting for that threaded nut's pic.. Is it available at any general hardware shop?

S_K,
there are many things around which can be used to keep the wheel intact.i use to put small piece of pen refill and seal it with CA.this works really well with small planes.yes you can also use suitable size nut and seal it with CA.there are many things around us which can be used as alternatives,it ultimately saves money..
otherwise there are wheel collets  available in various hobby shops,based on your axels's diameter you can always get one..

regards..
hitesh

This is what a bicycle spoke looks like. One end is threaded and comes with a nut (you don't have to buy it separately) and the other end has a bend that needs to be chopped off. Hope this helps.

Maserati, it may be possible to make it out of a single spoke as you have pictorially depicted, however, that will result in a small undercarriage. For larger models it is advisable to use 2 spokes with adequate anti rotation bends.

@VC, your avispad looks great! Great going!

Here's a share of a steerable tail wheel for my next build, here's how I've done it-> The coro piece (yellow) that attaches to the fuselage is made up of two identical cutouts, one with flutes running vertically, and the other with flutes running horizontally (to provide some strength), glued together to give a block. I cut out a single flute from the vertical one (like we do to make a hinge) and this serves as a mundane tubing through which the gear shin passes. The washer to ensure the gear does not drop in the tubing, I think I will also add another washer and a small wire spring sometime later to add some shock absorption...

I am expecting comments/recommendations as well...

Pictures by Mjet in this thread are worth seeing for people who need recommendations on tail wheel..... Post#75

Though he has not replied to my queries .... he has some brilliant models....

Hi all,
Sorry for delay in answer, because I am on tour and have limited excess to internet. The above models are not in my possession or made by be. I am a beginner and still struggling to build a first model.
Above are the ideas ( not my ideas) were collected for VC and I am trying to use one of them in my current build ( will post the pictures soon). Foam in pictures  is blue foam from  DOW chemicals , also available in india.
Thanks to all of you for your appreciation and moral boosting  .

Regards
Mohan

Mjet, you are an excellent researcher and a good human being. God bless! and  Good luck with your build.

Had been racking my brains to try and figure out a way to make a removable cowl so that I have easy access to the motor and the ESC. Rubber bands seemed too clumsy, screws would spoil the aesthetics as they would need washers and wooden beats to screw into. Finally came up with this solution and I am delighted with the overall effect and ease of removal. Basically it is a drawer. Two sheets of coro joined together slide into a pair of aluminium rails. Easy on, easy off.

Had bought an ESC (Budget 30 A) from coderbana which turned out to be busted as the motor would quit spinning at 3/4 throttle. Replaced that with a new Turnigy 25/30 A and all is well now.

I weighed the model and the AUW stands at 838 grams only (minus the push rods and horns). I guess I still have a 100 grams or so to play around with. Here are some more pics of the removable cowl cover.

Motor - EMax 2822 @ 1250 Kv
ESC - Turnigy 25/30 A
Prop - GWS type 9 X 6
Battery - Turnigy 1600mAh 3S 20 C
Servos - 3 X 9 gram Hextronics