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How to Install a Tail Wheel on a RC Aircraft

A tail wheel on an RC plane gives the plane a more realistic look and affords the pilot better ground handling. The process is fairly straightforward but you need to pay attention when aligning the wheel to the plane. A misaligned tail wheel will affect how the plane taxis to and from the runway.

Things You'll Need

Screwdriver
Tail wheel bracket
Thin wire rod
Small wheel
Wheel collar
Epoxy
CA glue

Instructions

- 1
  Install the tail wheel bracket on the bottom of the fuselage where the two sides meet. If the wood there is plywood then screw directly into it. If it is balsa, drill pilot holes and put a drop of CA glue to reinforce each hole.
- 2
  Pass the wire rod that the wheel will attach to through the underside of the bracket. Place a wheel collar on the wire and tighten in place directly above the bracket.
- 3
  Make the tail wheel steerable by aligning the wheel so that it sits parallel to the rudder. Bend about one inch of the wire rod straight back until it sits parallel to the ground.
- 4
  Mark the spot on the rudder where the wire rod will contact it. Drill a hole the diameter of the wire rod one inch deep.
- 5
  Epoxy the rudder onto its hinges and the tail wheel wire rod into the rudder.

Aviation