Steerable tailwheel - advice please

[Guest]

I am building scale model of Auster 1 from DB Sport AUSTER J 1

and I have decided not to use their included tailwheel partially because I didnt like it /piece of bended wire/ and partially because by original construction the tailwheel was supposed to be attached to the rudder and I was in doubt if the rudder is sturdy enough for such a task.

I bought DuBro tailwheel http://www.brhobbies.com/prodimages/DUBQ0956.JPG which I would like to use instead.

Now my question finally :clap2:

If I leave the tailwheel free, unattached to the rudder or servo, will I still be able to taxi my model normally - performing turns on the ground? Will the propeller stream be enough as a force when I apply the rudder to make model turn on the ground???

Thank you !!!

[Guest]

I am building scale model of Auster 1 from DB Sport AUSTER J 1and I have decided not to use their included tailwheel partially because I didnt like it /piece of bended wire/ and partially because by original construction the tailwheel was supposed to be attached to the rudder and I was in doubt if the rudder is sturdy enough for such a task.

I bought DuBro tailwheel http://www.brhobbies.com/prodimages/DUBQ0956.JPG which I would like to use instead.

Now my question finally :clap2:

If I leave the tailwheel free, unattached to the rudder or servo, will I still be able to taxi my model normally - performing turns on the ground? Will the propeller stream be enough as a force when I apply the rudder to make model turn on the ground???

Thank you !!!

Hi mate and welcome, the idea that you have is sound, but when you slow down and dont have the speed you need to taxi slowly, you will not be able to steer, you will have to be travelling at a speed to acoplish this. This is why they have an attached linkage or servo. The kit you have brought could have a mini servo to drive it, attach this to the rudder servo with a y lead.

Andy

[Guest]

Not knowing the J1 all that well,I can't realy comment on the link to the rudder from the wheel.But as a full size tailwheel builder and pilot I can tell you that a full castering tailwheel is rare.Some can caster and you use difirential brake to steer but have a lock for takeoff ,but most of the time they are linked to the rudder by springs.

To try and taxi with a caster wheel in X-wind will not work at all.

You will see in the pix of the wheel you got there is a controll arm that fits over the rudder and a controll arm with a collet that fits over the arm holding the wheel to the mounding, these could be conected by tention springs for steering.

Hope it helps

Theuns

[Guest]

Have a related story to your question. In the States I had a friend who taught aerobatics in an Eagle, biplane. There was another bloke at the airport who had a Pits, who had the Brilliant idea to do that very thing, disconnect the tail wheel from steering wires, a free wheeling shopping cart wheel. First time he flew to another airport, happened to be Half Moon Bay in California he promptly ground looped it. I think he took the original advice and left it steerable. A very expensive lesson! Cheers, Bill

[Guest]

thank you very much everybody for reading and replying. all answeres were very helpful. i take your advices and definitely make it steerable!