Nose Gear Installation
These instructions describe the fitting of a rearward-retracting nosegear unit, which seems to be
what most customers prefer, as it is much easier to install the steering mechanism - and also
leaves the nose of the fuselage free to install batteries, air tanks etc.. In this case the supplied
nosegear door is used as a hatch cover for the opening that is factory-cut in the fuselage.
If you wish to fit a more ‘scale-like’ forward-retracting nosegear you will need to use a 100 or 105
degree unit (SpgAir 107HD 100° unit shown here) so that the wheel retracts completely into the
fuselage, and the supplied plywood bulkhead must be fitted at an angle. As there is limited space
in the nose, it is likely you will have to make a 180° bellcrank system to redirect the steering link-
age to a servo mounted on the back face of the nosegear bulkhead. (photos at end of section)
If you chose a rearward-retracting gear you can fit a standard 90° unit , and the bulkhead can be
installed perpendicular to the flange at the front of the cockpit opening.
Fit the nose door/nose hatch first. Protect the area
around the opening from glue with masking tape or
2 coats of wax first. Some tissue inside the fuselage
will catch the other drops of glue!
The door is laminated from a foam sandwich (2mm
thick) so that it retains the correct shape. To use it as
a hatch cover for the nose you will need to glue
some 1.5mm thick (1/16”) balsa strips all around the
inside of the opening to make the fuselage moulding
the same thickness as the door. Cut these 6mm
wide strips ‘cross-grain’ so that they bend around the
curved shape easily, and glue in place with thin CA.
Now sand the edges of the opening and the door so
that they match each other perfectly.
Add narrow strips of very thin plywood or fibreglass
Fox Composites Co., Ltd.
29
(above) Nose door/hatch is laminated
from a 2mm thick foam sandwich. Protect
the area around the nose door opening
with masking tape or wax to prevent any
accidental glue drops getting on there!
(above) If fitting a 100 -105° forward-re-
tracting unit, the bulkhead should be fitted
at the same angle to the fibreglass flange at
the front of the cockpit. The cockpit floor
stiffeners are milled with approx. correct an-
gles on both ends. Seen here in one side of
a fuselage before joining, for clarity.
(above) When fitting a 90° rearward-re-
tracting nose unit, the bulkhead should be
fitted perpendicular to the fibreglass flange
at the front of the cockpit opening. Shorten
and trim the front of the cockpit floor stiff-
eners to 90° as needed. Servo fits in ply
mount behind the retracted wheel.
