Let me the dimention of the strut the bottom side skin to ground distance , wheel size , weight of the model,the real scale look that we can find it . only need the size or wing span !

Originally Posted by kin

Let me the dimention of the strut the bottom side skin to ground distance , wheel size , weight of the model,the real scale look that we can find it . only need the size or wing span !

Ok here we go. All I really care about is the nosewheel strut but I'm including the mains dimensions as well. Seriously I am ready to pay whatever you need to be done with this stupid wire looking gear. The aircraft is beautiful besides these problems. If this is possible you should post the gear for sale in the Tamjets F-16 thread (there are 120 pages and plenty of people hate the wire gear). People would eat this up.

Specification:
Length: 54"
Wingspan: 42"
Weight: 9-11 lbs (depending on config)
Wire size hole is 5/32


The scale full sized F-16 look may not work because on this model there is not much clearance between the duct and the wheel. Also the wheel needs to be angled back (as shown in the picture) so that the gear door can close properly. If it is straight up and down the door cannot close fully. Let me know if you need any other information. Anything with proper dampening will look better than this gear.

I am in the market for one of these 1/12 nose struts as well. J

Something close to this would be perfect..

Yup. The spring for the dampening needs to be very strong though so it doesn't make the unit bottom out on a hard landing. I saw that once with the C21 I modified and it wasn't pretty. I landed very hard (my fault) and the wheel/spring extended like they should but they kept going until the top section of strut hit the grass and bam jet came to a screeching halt. I installed a stronger spring after that and it was fine.

I hope Kin comes through because I've literally got my credit card sitting here hoping to put the charge on it.

Yep Rob, That would be about right for me, I would grab 2 or 3 units like that. J

The Angled back are not important , because we can set the total travelling angle in 90/95/100/105 choice . if we use the 105 angle the wheel will fully go inside even the strut are straight , but we need in test fit it .OK the information are enough ! try to make a scale look one ,But how many space to install the retract mechanic in the fuselage . have the intake tube block the landing gear ,? i want you have a front view inside the intake (mouth) .

Originally Posted by kin

The Angled back are not important , because we can set the total travelling angle in 90/95/100/105 choice . if we use the 105 angle the wheel will fully go inside even the strut are straight , but we need in test fit it .OK the information are enough ! try to make a scale look one ,But how many space to install the retract mechanic in the fuselage . have the intake tube block the landing gear ,? i want you have a front view inside the intake (mouth) .

The wheel when retracted is just about touching the ducting inside the aircraft and is also almost touching the gear door (gear door not shown). If the angle of the retract was less or more, less it would push the gear door open, more it would not retract all the way because it would push on the ducting (and the retract couldn't lock).

Here are more pictures so you can see the ducting. The ducting is on a slight upwards angle from the mouth moving towards the back.

it might be better to try and rotate the nose 90 degrees on the way up.

Originally Posted by gunradd

it might be better to try and rotate the nose 90 degrees on the way up.

I honestly don't believe there is enough room to do that with this airframe. Due to a very limited space and the need to have the pull pull wire for steering.

Originally Posted by Pepperpete

The wheel when retracted is just about touching the ducting inside the aircraft and is also almost touching the gear door (gear door not shown). If the angle of the retract was less or more, less it would push the gear door open, more it would not retract all the way because it would push on the ducting (and the retract couldn't lock).

Here are more pictures so you can see the ducting. The ducting is on a slight upwards angle from the mouth moving towards the back.

Yes! it is very limited space to do the good retract .to only ides are the rotate strut , but it not scale ! and you have the steering control , it so headache . if this modela are bigger size like jet size are possible . but now are diffcult !!

one idea are make a 1/2 wheel diameter wheeel fairing inside the ducting .let the wheel can (back angle) and 1/2 wheel can goinside the ducting surface .this idea can let the wheel full come inside and if you can make a smooth fairing in will not effect the ducting ! is it possible ??

Originally Posted by kin

one idea are make a 1/2 wheel diameter wheeel fairing inside the ducting .let the wheel can (back angle) and 1/2 wheel can goinside the ducting surface .this idea can let the wheel full come inside and if you can make a smooth fairing in will not effect the ducting ! is it possible ??

Kin,

Yes it would be easily possible to modify the ducting to allow a larger wheel. In fact it would be very easy to do so as the ducting comes out without problem for modifications. It would look like the Fly Eagle Jets F-16 style ducting. As long as the wheel wouldn't impede the airflow too much it would work fine.

I wouldn't worry about trying to look scale. All we want is a strut that can replace the wire gear that has some dampening. The best solution is a C21 style trailing strut but sized for this plane because the ones currently around are too long. They fit inside the fuse with the wheel no problem at all. It's just they are 110mm's long when they need to be 88mm's long so people end up having to grind them down too much. Also the risk with the C21 design is that when the plane touches down, the spring can extend TOO MUCH which causes the plane to ground out which is NOT good.

If you create something along the lines of the C21 but with your better ability and design then we would all be happy. I am sure you could come up with something similar that would look better than the current one. Hopefully could look like the first picture with shock absorbing springs inside or whatever you think is best. For the pull pull wire you can just tap holes into the side of the C21 to mount the pull pull cables. It would work fine.

Can you let me the length of this photo ? i can make the size you like , and is it some pilot like it , let me know how many piece i do in the first batch ?

Originally Posted by kin

Can you let me the length of this photo ? i can make the size you like , and is it some pilot like it , let me know how many piece i do in the first batch ?

Kin,

I don't have that piece anymore as I sold it on my first 1/12th F-16 before I bought the next two 1/12th F-16's. All I can tell you is that it's total length including wheel needs to be 88mm's as shown in the dimensions on the first photo I took for you. Can you not use those dimensions to construct this?