B17 parts question

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:09 pm

B17 fans...
Gulf Coast Wing- CAF is considering having a small "lot" of tailwheel locking pins made.

We have our spare (as a pattern) and blueprints and material specs and a qualified machinist all ready.

If anybody is interested in getting in on this deal please contact me.
If somebody has ALREADY done this and is sitting on dozens of them, LET ME KNOW and I can find happy takers for what you have.

If you fly your plane and it hasn't already worn out, it will eventually.
KEEP 'EM FLYING,
Don Price
AKA SPANNER

K5DH · **Posted:** Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:37 pm

The B-17 Co-Op's annual meeting is being held in Oshkosh in October. I can't remember exactly which weekend it is; it's either the 3rd or 4th weekend. That would be the right crowd to ask about going in with GCW on some tail wheel locking pins.

Cheers!

DryMartini · **Posted:** Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:13 pm

You may want to ask Chuck, a poster here
who works for Don, that question. This was
an issue for 'Liberty Belle' back in March, but
I cannot remember if they found a good one,
or had some made.

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:36 pm

DryMartini wrote:

You may want to ask Chuck, a poster here
who works for Don, that question. This was
an issue for 'Liberty Belle' back in March, but
I cannot remember if they found a good one,
or had some made.

THAT's what I'm talking about. I didn't know about it happening to "Liberty Belle", but it seems to be a recurring theme.

Thanks one and all.

kmiles · **Posted:** Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:12 pm

The tail wheel lock pin is a part that wears/breaks when there is a side load from the tail trying to turn when the tail wheel is locked. It usually happens just as the tail wheel is being locked or unlocked on rollout. If the pilot or co-pilot pulls the handle too hard, it will also pull the thredded part right off the top of the pin.

Most of the B-17 operators that we are in touch with on a regular basis have a source or two for them. Anyone who is flying a B-17 on a regular basis should have at least one spare in the aircraft because they always break at the worst time.

The difficult part of having a bunch made up at one time is that there are 3 or 4 pieces that are part of the assembly that may be worn. If there is too much play between the pin and the receiver, it will break pretty easily.

Chuck Giese · **Posted:** Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:01 pm

Yeah, we had a problem on Liberty Belle with the tail wheel pin popping out, and the wheel unlocking at, ummm, "inopportune" times. The lock pin never broke, just wouldn't stay seated. We had 3 (?) new pins made, installed one, and that did not fix the problem.

I then took apart a spare tailwheel assembly, sent out the pin, housing that the pin slides in, and the plate that the pin locks to. They installed the pin and housing (not sure about the plate), and the problem cleared up.

Long story short, I think we're ok on the pins, but I'll ask around.

Chuck

K5DH · **Posted:** Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:26 pm

Hey Spanner,

I asked at the Museum last weekend if we needed any locking pins, and the concensus was that although we have a few it sure wouldn't hurt to have a few more if the price is reasonable. Please keep me "in the loop" on this.

Cheers!

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