IS THERE VALUE IN DUMPING THE LANDING WHEELS?

[pembquist]

I'm guessing the game model doesn't subtract drag for knocking off fixed landing gear. I thought you were asking about real life. Most people don't realize that at moderate speeds you don't get very much drag reduction by going with a retractable gear vs a well faired fixed gear.

[Vraciu]

But we're talking about the in game model.

I really doubt you would see gear failure to the point of totally falling off the plane from leaving it down on a real fighter or light attack plane. It would bend and skew and add a tremendous amount of drag and odd aerodynamic force well before that point.

You'd rip gear doors off and such...   But...   If you got to going fast enough to tear the gear off a fighter I have a feeling you'd take a lot of other parts off first. 

[Puma44]

There's probably more value in learning BFM/ACM and adding that skill set.

[colmbo]

You'd rip gear doors off and such...   if you got to going fast enough to rip the gear off a fighter I have a feeling you'd take a lot of other parts off first.

I seem to recall an issue early with the Mustang, no uplocks on the gear, gear sag with G pulling gear leg down and failing the wing.  Uplocks fixed the issue.

[pembquist]

I seem to recall an issue early with the Mustang, no uplocks on the gear, gear sag with G pulling gear leg down and failing the wing.  Uplocks fixed the issue.

Sweet! Very little drag if get rid of the wings.

[Vraciu]

I seem to recall an issue early with the Mustang, no uplocks on the gear, gear sag with G pulling gear leg down and failing the wing.  Uplocks fixed the issue.

I can see that...

[Puma44]

I seem to recall an issue early with the Mustang, no uplocks on the gear, gear sag with G pulling gear leg down and failing the wing.  Uplocks fixed the issue.

Some of today's Mustangs have an ingenious idea called a Pokey Man Tool.  It is a metal rod with all the correct angles that allow the pilot, if needed, to reach through small holes in the floor above the unlocks and manually release a jammed uplock(s).  The Pokey Man tool is attached to the pilots seat back behind the parachute.

Most Mustangs also carry a pair of vice grips in the event of a broken landing gear handle. 

[morfiend]

Some of today's Mustangs have an ingenious idea called a Pokey Man Tool.  It is a metal rod with all the correct angles that allow the pilot, if needed, to reach through small holes in the floor above the unlocks and manually release a jammed uplock(s).  The Pokey Man tool is attached to the pilots seat back behind the parachute.

Most Mustangs also carry a pair of vice grips in the event of a broken landing gear handle.

   Now you're just showing off!!!


     

[Puma44]

   Now you're just showing off!!!


     

Just a little Mustang trivia, my friend. 

[morfiend]

Just a little Mustang trivia, my friend. 

  I could be wrong but I doubt a visegrip was standard issue during WW2........


   I hope HTC doesnt model it,it came post war!


   

[Puma44]

  I could be wrong but I doubt a visegrip was standard issue during WW2........


   I hope HTC doesnt model it,it came post war!


   

Yeah, no kidding!

The handle has an occasional bad habit of breaking off at the base.  In normal ops, cycling the landing gear takes an amount of torque that is pretty much impossible without the handle in place.  Hence the application of a pair of inexpensive vice grips in comparison to the alternative.  I've heard replacement handles are quite expensive.  After all a Mustang these days is in the 2-3 million range. 

During our recent visit for Stallion51's 30th Anniversary Celebration, I was told a new prop was in the $100K range.  Makes a pair of vice grips seem like pretty cheap insurance.

[Vraciu]

IS THERE VALUE IN DUMPING THE LANDING WHEELS?

NO!  But there is value in dumping the TAKEOFF WHEELS.   

[DaveBB]

The P-51D had a bad habit of shedding it's tailwheel.  This is why later models, most noticeably the H, had struts on both sides of the tailwheel instead of one.

[BBP]

Well I can tell none of you have  ever even tried it. So as the old saying goes "GET BACK TO ME WHEN YOU TRY IT!"
KIMO!

[Vraciu]

Well I can tell none of you have  ever even tried it. So as the old saying goes "GET BACK TO ME WHEN YOU TRY IT!"
KIMO!

Because shouting at people always works. 

Do your own research perhaps?