wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

[flyguy]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

I would like to run some tests with a flat "fin" behind the wheels to keep the airflow behind the tire from wrapping up on itself and make it exit straight away from the tire. Would be interesting to do. Or maybe a "cone" to handle the vertical component. Think I have seen that on one older British aircraft.
DC

[Forrest Barber]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Jim Bede had a neat thing, a "cone" that was flattened from side to side to the width of the tire and the top and bottom straight line went to the top and bottom of the tire, about 3/4 in clearance. Very light weight composite thing, totally enclosed with one rod to keep it in place, It gave drag reduction and kept water off wings too, YES the crap spun up by the tires hit the cone and did not fly back or up onto the airplane. Somebody find a picture, the were installed on Maule aircraft too! I am going to put a pair of Consolidair Wheel Fenders on my B real soon!!

[DanBrown]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Anybody know a pants store for my BC-65?

[flyguy]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

The standard ones that my friend has on his RV-4 are really attractive and apparently they work as we were cruising in it at 225 statute a while back. I think they are for 5 inch wheels though. I must look around for something like that.
DC

[whake]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Aircraft Spruce has a set of 600-6 wheel pants that appear to be light in weight and length that look similar to T-Craft pictures I have seen...does any one know for sure? I am not lookiing for speed just looks. Part number MF-5

[Carl Ellis]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Somebody find a picture, the were installed on Maule aircraft too!

Like this?

[dedrekon]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Those "cones" may add a little speed, but my experience with them on the Maule is the mud they keep off the wings ends up in the cone itself and can cause the wheels to get stuck....especially when it's freezing outside.

Most Maule owners pull them off. Of course, Maules really aren't built for speed anyway, regardless of what Belford D. Maule claimed (check out his performance claims if you're looking for a chuckle).

V

[NY86]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Thought I had a better picture, but this is all I could find. On a Luscombe....

[whake]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Iwould like to add wheel pants to my BC12d, I am having trouble locating the right size. Aircraft Spruce has a set MF-5 that look good. but are they right for the T-craft? any suggestions???

[Carl Ellis]

Re: wheel pants speed vs. no wheel pants

Thought I had a better picture, but this is all I could find. On a Luscombe....

John - if you click on the thumbnail in the post I made it will expand out to a pretty decent picture. You can even see the mounting rod.

- Carl -