Warbirds without retractable tailwheels

JDK · **Posted:** Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:51 am

Jack Cook wrote:

..Zero...

The Zero was designed and built with a retractable tailwheel. I dunno if / when / which were fixed down.

warbirdcrew · **Posted:** Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:04 pm

None of these have retractable tail wheels :shock:

coldaffyduck · **Posted:** Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:43 pm

Darn it Jack, I wanted to say the S-2. But oh well, since nobody has said the C-1's I will.

Taylor Stevenson · **Posted:** Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:03 pm

Stinson L-5!

CAPFlyer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:37 am

On the subject of the Zero, is it possible that most (if not all) of the Zeros did have retractible tailwheels and the confusion is that some of the Tora Zeros didn't/don't?

BTW, I like hearing about the fixed-gears without retractible tailwheels, but that'd be a very long list and the question was -

warbird1 wrote:

So, which warbirds, big or small, with retractable main landing gear, DON'T have retractable tailwheels?

Mike · **Joined:** Tue May 04, 2004 8:54 am **Posts:** 3333

Sea Fury T.20s (unless they've been 'Americanized' like WG655!)

famvburg · **Joined:** Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:41 am **Posts:** 540

But the main gear isn't retractable either on these..............

Tulio wrote:

PT-17
Ryan STM
WACO UPF-7
Fairchild PT-19, -23, 26
DH Chipmunk (?)

Warbirds too, right? : )

Saludos,

Tulio

famvburg · **Joined:** Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:41 am **Posts:** 540

I don't think I saw the Ha 1112s (or Me 109s) mentioned. Was tthe FW 190's? I have seen pics of some Mustangs with the TW down. What's with that? I think I've also seen some Tora Zeros with locked-down TWs. Again, why? I also think I saw a pic years ago of a Corsair with the TW down & locked as well.

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:46 am

famvburg wrote:

I don't think I saw the Ha 1112s (or Me 109s) mentioned. Was tthe FW 190's? I have seen pics of some Mustangs with the TW down. What's with that? I think I've also seen some Tora Zeros with locked-down TWs. Again, why? I also think I saw a pic years ago of a Corsair with the TW down & locked as well.

The Fw-190 had a semi retractable tailwheel, rather like the Mosquito, in that half the wheel remained in the airflow. The 109 family mostly didn't.

The Mustang answer has been given already.

Modern warbirds with locked tailwheels are mostly a maintainance or engineering simplification.

Anyone else interested in commenting on why, rather than playing a form of i-spy?

Hal B · **Posted:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:50 am

JDK wrote:

Anyone else interested in commenting on why, rather than playing a form of i-spy?

Simplicity, as in K.I.S.S.

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:59 am

Hal B wrote:

JDK wrote:

Anyone else interested in commenting on why, rather than playing a form of i-spy?

Simplicity, as in K.I.S.S.

No, the original question. See my first post.

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Warbirds without retractable tailwheels

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