Actually the fairing isn't that hard to make. The fixed rear portion
actually comes pretty close to the tire if you wrap it around the side. I
carved mine from a block of blue foam covered with two layers of bid. The
sides wrap around the tire and are 2 inches high and terminate in a blunt
end to meed the foreward portion. This also keeps the front section a bit
shorter so it clears the ground well.
The front part was also carved from blue foam and covered with three layers
of bid. After I removed the foam, aluminum brackets were riveted on to
attach it to the gear leg. When the gear is retracted the front part comes
up and fits flush against the belly - the back edge blends in to the
attached rear part. The brake is entirely inside the fairing. So far in
over 50 hours of flying including landings on all types of surfaces the
fairing is perfect. Heat has not been a problem with any of the parts.
It would interfere with the factory trailer - and there are two solutions.
One is to remove the front part for trailering - just 2 screws and two bolts
take it off. This would be good if you don't trailer much. On my trailer
we don't use the factory method of holding up the fuselage. Instead a
stainless tube support attackes to the rear wing fairing using the standard
pip pin. One on each side holds the fuselage up fine and nothing attaches
to the gear leg. This has the advantage of not scratching the leg's finish.
So there it is. No moving parts except for the gear leg and everything fits
in flush. The bottom of the tire is exposed but it sure looks better and I
am sure the drag is greatly minimized.
Photos can be found on my website at www.galaxyhobby.cpm/europa.htm
I plane on adding better pictures of the gear fairings to the mods tab soon,
but there are some pictures of it on there now. I will also be adding a
section on my trailer in the next couple of months.
Be advised my ISP went bankrupt last week so my web site might be down for
the next few days - but it WILL be back up soon. I can e-mail phots in the
meantime if you e-mail me at this address;
info@galaxyhobby.com
Bob Jacobsen
A131
From: Grahamclk@aol.com
>Subject: Mono wheel fairings
>Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 13:29:37 EDT
>
>ISTR something about this fairly recently but have lost it.
>
>I have spent some time trying to design fore and aft (possibly meeting)
>fairings but have come to the conclusion that anything fixed is not going
>to
>do the job.
>
>Considering just the centre line, anything to the rear which starts back
>along the fuselage and tapers along the tangent to the retracted tyre, has
>to
>be stopped long before it gets close to the tyre as it would cross the
>retraction path ( the back of the wheel swings on a 31" radius and so is
>not
>far off vertical). So inevitably there will be a big draggy gap defeating
>the object.
>
>On the front it would be fairly easy to add a fairing to the u/c arm but
>not
>if the plane is to be trailered. The sides of the ramp would be restricting
>and a hazard to it when loading, unless you can be sure always to be dead
>centre. There are also hot gases to be considered in this region so it
>probably couldn't be moulded composite unless well protected.
>
>Transversely there is the brake caliper to be allowed for too, or its path
>when retracting, if it has been rotated to the horizontal.
>
>So if anyone has actually done it without active elements i.e hinges and
>linkages to the mechanism I would really like to know how.
>
>Graham G-EMIN
>
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