Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

Now that the wing repair is complete, I'm turning my attention to the next project for this plane - converting it from conventional tricycle gear into a tail dragger.

The first step was to remove all of the stock landing gear.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352688438

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352688438

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352688438

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

Next step: Filling in the main gear channel with some scrap.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689289

I went with a Sullivan tail wheel. The original idea was to have it castering, but a closer look at the tail presented a different solution - taking a notch out of the elevator.

The notch was centred, but the stripes weren't.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689289

Re-covered...

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689289

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

After the notch was cut and covered, I ground off the heads of the plastic tail bolts, possible because the horizontal and vertical stabilizers are epoxied in place. Once that was done, I re-covered the tail.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689674

The tail wheel bracket was mounted with four servo screws...

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689674

... and the steering arm was connected to the rudder.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352689674

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

Yes, much easier to do when the rudder reaches down to the bottom of the fuse.

Installing the mains on the flat bottom Hobbistar fuse will be very easy....unlike the rounded fuse of my old NexStar.

I did a taildragger conversion to my NexStar years ago and never regretted it for a moment:cool:

I went with the Sullivan taiwheel assembly and Dubro Fibre Main Gear

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

I bought a set of aluminum gear for mine - Great Planes, I think. I just have to decide how to reinforce the fuse at the mounting point.

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

I have done a few conversions. The main gear was easy with a piece of 1/4 ply dropped into the fuse and epoxied. Then aluminum truss gear where bolted the the bottom.
The tail wheels where all different: but all store bought. I ran a separate push rod off the rudder servo for steering.
The next one I do: I will use the 1/4 in nylon wing bolts to attach the main gear. If you make a bad landing; the bolts should break and not rip the belly out. Just a thought?

OTC

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

PS........BTW the main gear should be at the leading edge of the wing in the level attitude.


OTC

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

OTC, thanks for the tips. All points noted.

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

On to the main gear. The first step was to decide on the orientation. I chose to have it sweep back.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352805672

There are calculations you can do to determine where the gear should go. After a lot of thought, research and advice I decided that placing the axles directly beneath the leading edge (in a level attitude) was the solution for me. To that end, I followed these steps.

1. Eyeball the placement of the gear on the fuse
2. Mark the leading edge of the gear on one side of the bottom, 5mm from the edge
3. Insert a t-pin at the mark
4. Roughly across the bottom from the t-pin, make a short line parallel to the edge and 5mm from it
5. Pick a forward point on the fuse. Measure halfway across the bottom and insert the t-pin there
6. Measure the distance between the two t-pins
7. Mark the same distance from the forward -pin to where it intersects the 5mm line drawn in step 4.
8. Insert a third t-pin at the mark
9. The line between the two rearmost t-pins forms an accurate leading edge location for the gear

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352805672

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352805672

Re: Hobbistar 60 - Tail dragger conversion
 

With the leading and trailing edges of the gear marked, the covering came off the bottom.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352806103

There was a small gap at one point where a razor blade could be worked in...

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352806103

... but first the bottom had to be cut across. A fine-toothed back saw worked well.

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1352806103