Thin 1/2" Ringmaster S1 need wire landing gear.

[Dennis Toth]

I am finishing the fuse for an S1 Ringmaster that is 1/2" wide at the outside of the plywood doubler. All the gear I have is for the 3/4" width when 1/8" ply doublers are use, I did mine with 1/32" for electric. Anyone bend gear out there? I would like 3/32" wire for the 1/2" wide fuse. If someone can do this please let me know.

Best,    DennisT

[Dan McEntee]

   Don't go to 3/32" wire for landing gear. You will regret it. Even on an electric model, you won't notice the few grams difference in weight and the plane will land better with the stiffer gear. Just make the landing gear two piece like on a Twister or a Banshee. Install a doubled up length of 5/32" and 3/16" tubing , or off set the legs and install two lengths of 5/32" tubing and make the anchor legs the length of the fuselage width. Use the typical 1/8" landing gear straps to hold them like normal. Use a length of coat hanger to make one side and check for fit and lengths, then bend a real one. Even with just a pair or two of vice grips this isn't that difficult. Just don't try to make the bends too sharp, and leave yourself some length at each end to custom cut the lengths you need.  Easy as pie.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Dan McEntee]

The only problem with 1/8" two  piece wire gear is by the time you get past the bend radius there's little or no straight section on a 1/2" fuselage. Get some aluminum struts from Brodak. Does anyone make carbon gear for a Ringmaster?

Motorman

       That is why you don't cut it to length until after you bend it and allow for the radius in the tubing length. Or, as I mentioned, use two lengths of tubing one in from of the other or one on top of the other and let the anchor leg go full depth. You just need to tweak the legs individually to make them even. I have several models hanging on the wall done like this.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[FLOYD CARTER]

If your commercial wire landing gear is too wide for a profile fuselage, simply glue some additional ply pieces each side of the profile, as needed..  Pieces about 1/2" X 1" would make a good anchor for the wire.

[Dan McEntee]

I do that too in a fuselage that's 3/4" wide.

    Yeah, and probably for a model that's 50 to 60 ounces. We're talking about a light Ringmaster here, not a Grumman Guardian Class-2 Carrier model. This isn't going to be a trainer. I think Dennis is past the frequent crashing phase and can consistently make decent landings so he's not going to punish it. Even though it's legal to substitute the landing gear for sheet metal or composite as long as the wheel axle placement is the same, I still like wire because that is what came in the kits, is cleaner and I think just looks better. Wire is cheaper and more durable also I think. Any perceived weight penalty is negligible.
 Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee
 
 

[Dennis Toth]

I like the idea of cutting the cross bend and coupling with the double brass tube to get the correct fit. I would like it better if I had some steel thin wall tube but I think the brass with Staybrite solder will work just fine. I had the plug in's on another ship that was IC power and it all fit just. With the electric I need to keep the area near the bottom of the outboard wing clear of bolts as the battery is close and I don't want anything that could scrape the cells in the way. This means the one piece wire and single hold down clip with one bolt works best. Will post pic's as I get it done/

Best,     DennisT

[John Rist]

With the electric I need to keep the area near the bottom of the outboard wing clear of bolts as the battery is close and I don't want anything that could scrape the cells in the way. This means the one piece wire and single hold down clip with one bolt works best.

If you want to save weight and avoid bolts use spider wire lashings with with a drop of CA to seal the knot.  That's how we mounted Ringmaster landing gear back in 50s.  Back then we used carpet thread and glue.

[Kim Doherty]

If you want to save weight and avoid bolts use spider wire lashings with with a drop of CA to seal the knot.  That's how we mounted Ringmaster landing gear back in 50s.  Back then we used carpet thread and glue.

John

I like that solution a lot!
You get reduced weight, a built in shock absorber and easy repairability.

Kim

[Dan McEntee]

If you want to save weight and avoid bolts use spider wire lashings with with a drop of CA to seal the knot.  That's how we mounted Ringmaster landing gear back in 50s.  Back then we used carpet thread and glue.

     I think they show binding the gear with wire or thread on the original instruction sheet. This would also be a good use for that Tuff Strand flying line that you asked about in another thread. It's kevlar I do believe and would be plenty strong and a good way to use it up. Dental floss would work also if you didn't have any of the exotic materials to work with.

    Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[bob whitney]

If you want to save weight and avoid bolts use spider wire lashings with with a drop of CA to seal the knot.  That's how we mounted Ringmaster landing gear back in 50s.  Back then we used carpet thread and glue.

something under the fuse would add a lot of strength

[Gary Dowler]

If your commercial wire landing gear is too wide for a profile fuselage, simply glue some additional ply pieces each side of the profile, as needed..  Pieces about 1/2" X 1" would make a good anchor for the wire.

This was going to be my suggestion as well. Easiest possible solution, and one of the lightest.

Gary

[John Rist]

John

I like that solution a lot!
You get reduced weight, a built in shock absorber and easy repairability.

Kim

Really not much of a shock absorber.  Pulled tight and with many raps spider wire has almost no flex.   

[ericrule]

Call Mike at RSM Distribution (951-678-1406) and ask him to send you a pair of the small Duralloy Landing Gear. Just bolt them on and your good to go. We always included a set of these in every Ringmaster kit sold by RSM. The original 3/32" music wire gear had a bad tendency to fold during a hard landing.