[pianodude]

I am putting together a Hangar 9 Phoenix 7. As a rule, I don't install retracts because of the amount of flying I do (way too much). Retracts just don't seem to go the distance and I see more guys fussing with them at more than frequent intervals. I just completed a Great Planes Lear Jet and it was my first retract installation (it was a plane half done and retracts were already mounted) and the experience was not fun.
Anyway, I was considering the Hobbico Electric retacts, but they weigh 4 ounces each. This seems like a lot of extra weight on a 7 pound airplane. They look really cool, but would there really be that big of a difference in performance over the fixed gear? A fellow club had the same plane with these retracts and the pivot pin on the nose gear fell out after about ten flights. Any and all opinions welcome.... John

[michel gravelle]

Hi

There is an amazing thing about this hobby . What ever it is that you do ,................. it is only you that says its right . Me,.............. I like to consider myself a builder , and I like semi scale , which means retracts . If guys have been haveing trouble with retracts ,............. it,s only because it was poorly installed , ( but not all the time ) . Many , many modelers are flyers , and don,t have the time nor the patcients , to build .

One thing is for sure ,................... you " CANN,T " make a wrong call . If youre not haveing , " FUN " , it,s the wrong call . Go with what you like to do best

2 cents

Michel

[canadianf1pilot]

the biggest question you need to ask is how is your field?

if your field is smooth and you can fly fast airplanes, the gear will not be as big a problem, but if you have a rough field they can be a pain in the a$$.

they will make a pretty big differance in the performance on a plane like that I have a Patriot .60 with a set of mech. retracts and have had some issues, but the field is a bit rough but once in the air it sure flys nice with the gear up.

it's really up to you though

Bill

[michel gravelle]

Hi

yep ,................ Bill , has also a good point . The field is important , along with you,re , " landing skills " , which has nothing to do with makeing holes in the sky . Flying a 20 odd pound warBird , no problem . Landing a 20 lbs Warbird ,.......................... experience needed . At 35oz /sq/ft , .......................don,t blink

I,m a pro at fixing landing gear ,....... tells you more about my flying skills ??:

Michel

[kip51035]

The Phoenix 7 is a nice A/C. When it comes to retracts you get what you pay for. The cheap crap that you get with most of the ARF's are poor design and the piano wire is poor quality. I have a set for my .60 size Spitfire still on the shelf. The design is well thought out with no set screws but the piano wire will bend easy and stays deflected. I inset a set of L/G blocks just behind the L/E and this is fine for me. The top of the strut has a 90 deg. bend in it. If you are out just boring holes in the sky I would go for fixed gear. Competition calls for a good set of retracts. On a tail dragger A/C put a shim of 1/8" plywood under the rear mount, this moves the wheels ahead and reduces the chance of a nose over.

[Cliff Russell]

IMHO The biggest reason for or against retracts is your flying ability and a lesser extent the surface you are flying off of. I watch guys who can grease every landing seldom, if ever have a, have an issue with retracts. I for instance have a great deal of trouble making a nice smooth landing and would never fly a plane with retracts, I would be constantly repairing them.

[michel gravelle]

Hi
Hey Cliff ,........................ have we met ?

Michel

[pianodude]

Hate to blow my own horn (but if I don't blow it, who will?!), but I am a very experienced pilot and pretty much grease 99% of the landings. What I'm really not sure about is: will installing 12 ounces of retracts increase performance over the factory supplied three ounce (total weight) fixed gear. Is it worth it? John

[michel gravelle]

Hi

Sorry to hijack youre thread ,................ didn,t mean that

But think about this ,................... RC pylon racers don,t have retracts , do they ?

Michel

[Cliff Russell]

Originally Posted by michel gravelle

Hi

Sorry to hijack youre thread ,................ didn,t mean that

But think about this ,................... RC pylon racers don,t have retracts , do they ?

Michel

As a matter of fact some do. For instance I have seen large scale Harvard (T6) races and they had retracts.
Can not answer the preformance question in models (obviously it does in full scale) but wht do guys who fly pattern contest all use retracts? (to increase performance.) My interest is in scale and there is nothing uglier than a non retract p51 doing high speed passes with its wheels down.