yup, I had a KR1 kit 25 years ago and had all that stuff (long since sold). It was a cool looking and a cool simple system. IIRC, early designs had some bolt breakage issues, and the spring bar would flex on hard landing and pop through the top of the wing. so it wasnt perfect, but stringer bolts and other adjustments seemed to make it a reliable, simple gear system if I recall. Cant argue with the coolness factor. Ken Rand was quite clever. I'm not too confident in a taildragger. I have hundreds of hours in trigear aircraft and would like to stick with the much less risky landings with trigear. In reality, I may just end up with a simple, fixed trigear project, but retracts would be nice.
> Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 10:37:42 -0800 > To: bjoenunley at gmail.com; krnet at list.krnet.org > Subject: Re: KR> Tri-Gear Retracts? > From: krnet at list.krnet.org > > The original KR landing gear system was a main-gear retracting taildragger. > > I've actually got a full set of it lying around in my hangar, as when I > bought my project it had the original gear (and I wanted a fixed-tri)... > > On 1/25/2015 9:56 AM, bjoenunley via KRnet wrote: > > These guys have excellent advice and experience. > > > > In regards to your retractable nose gear; how about a tail dragger > > configuration? Eliminate the weight and complexity while maintaining > > aerodynamic efficiency. If you are not familiar with tail wheel configured > > aircraft they are not too scary when you get used to them. > > > > Joe Nunley > > Baker Florida > > > > > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone > > > > <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Chris Prata via > > KRnet <krnet at list.krnet.org> </div><div>Date:01/25/2015 2:01 AM > > (GMT-06:00) </div><div>To: krnet at list.krnet.org </div><div>Subject: KR> > > Tri-Gear Retracts? </div><div> > > </div>Hey All, > > I have been pondering the possibility of tri-gear retracts on a KR1. (This > > is experimental aviation after all!). > > First, before I search the archives, has this been done? > > If not, I'm assuming that since fixed tri-gear KR's exist (which is > > probably what I'll end up doing!), the rear spar is strong enough to attach > > main gear to. I am thinking that the gear can simply retract forward, > > reverse of what the original KR had. I *think* the main gear is not going > > to be a problem at all. > > That leaves the nose wheel. I have a couple ideas. One is to establish a > > straight pipe which goes up and back at an angle through the strong > > firewall, with the castering nosewheel leg sliding into and out of that. > > Not sure how to actuate that without too much weight, a big screw actuator? > > Pneumatic? Since that pipe will be coming up through between the rudder > > pedals, perhaps some kind of a slot and a lever? The wheel could be pulled > > straight back up into a well beneath the back part of the cowling. It > > wouldnt have to go all the way in, 1/3 of the tire could still be showing. > > The other method would be a swing back, or swing forward arrangement. > > This is a light plane and the nose carries the least weight. Although it > > will slam down a bit on landing. > > Any info or ideas appreciated. > > > > -C > > _______________________________________________ > > Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. > > To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org > > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > > see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change > > options > > _______________________________________________ > > Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. > > To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org > > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > > see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change > > options > > > _______________________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search. > To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org > please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change > options
