Full Swivel and Tailwheel Locking

[CurtissP-6EHawk]

Do we get thses features in AHII?

[Grizzly]

Originally posted by CurtissP-6EHawk
Do we get thses features in AHII?

Will that help stop those pesky ground loops?

grizzly

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Grizzly
Will that help stop those pesky ground loops?

grizzly

Locking tail wheels, centering nose wheels should be modeled.

As it is, trying to taxi results in constantly working rudder and toe brakes to make one's way down the runway.

I've taxied many aircraft, from the AT-6 through DC-6 and I've never experienced anything this unstable.. Needs some attention.

My regards,

Widewing

[frank3]

So, in real life, one would note have been able to steer on the ground with their tail wheel locked? Wouldn't that be hard?

[Widewing]

Originally posted by frank3
So, in real life, one would note have been able to steer on the ground with their tail wheel locked? Wouldn't that be hard?

Tail wheels are locked and unlocked from the cockpit.  You have to be careful with taxi speed with an unlocked tailwheel as a stiff crosswind can cause weathercocking if you're not on the ball, or if you are clumsy with the toe brakes.

With most tail-dragger fighters, once you get lined up on the runway, you lock the tailwheel. Likewise, it's locked for landing, unless you prefer a groundloop..... You CAN turn on the ground with the tailwheel locked, but it's very hard on the tailwheel and ground maneuverability is poor.

A large twin like the Grumman S-2F/C-1A required almost exclusive use of brakes at low speeds as the rudder was not especially effective below 30-35 knots. It had a free castering nosewheel with a hydraulic centering device. Prior to takeoff, you would line up on the runway and the the wheel would lock on center. These aircraft also had a wheeled tail bumper that extended with the gear, because they had a tendency to rock fore and aft. Short-field landings would cause you to use aerodynamic braking, holding the nose high and letting the tail bumper take the weight immediately after touchdown. The nose would drop as the elevators lost effectiveness. At that point you would use the toe brakes to slow further and steer onto the taxiway.

The Convair 240 and Douglas DC-6 had nosewheel steering (an actual 6 inch steering wheel on the left-side of the cockpit, almost looks like an elevator trim wheel) and combined with differential power, were easy to taxi and park on a spot accurately.

What I see in AH2 is terribly unstable ground handling. With a locked tailwheel, straight tracking (with engine at idle) should be normal. Even with the tailwheel unlocked, low speed ground handling would be far less unstable than it is now. It would be impossible to maneuver an F6F on a carrier deck with what we have now, it would be like bumper cars in the dark.

My regards,

Widewing

[CurtissP-6EHawk]

What widewing said!

Also, when landing you lock the tailwheel. You must be "lined" up straight when the tailwheel makes contact with the ground. Whan the tailwheel hits the ground, you will go in the direction the plane is pointing. You can make slight adjustments by "lightening" the tail by pushing foward on the stick...make direction adjustment with rudder, then get the tail back on the ground, however, this can be just as tricking as not having a tailwheel lock.

All-in-all, you will be better off with the lock once you get use to it!
The airplane I am building now has a full swivil non-stearable tailweel so I will install a tailwheel lock in it as per plans call for.

Basicly all heavy tailwheel aircraft have a tailwheel lock, stearable or not!

[frank3]

That's a great idea!

Just make it on control G or something (shift G for hook)