Messerschmitt 262 V1 - tailwheel version

[John R]

The V1 started life with a piston engine and tailwheel u/c. Jet engines were added making it a 3 engined a/c.

I am building the Hi-Planes version and wondered if the tailwheel was retractable. It was only when tidying up the moulding around the tailwheel housing that I realised that the rough holes at the front and the back which I was filling in might actually represent the gap between the tailwheel doors and should be cleaned out!

John

[Max Headroom]

Here is the second prototype (incidentally the first one of PC+UB I've seen) that shows a retractable unit.

http://forum.valka.cz/files/me262v2_126.jpg

A quick Googling found this of PC+UA

http://www.luftwaffen-projekte.de/lwp/jaeger/archiv/me262_v1.jpg

In shadow and a poor picture, but a tail wheel door appears to be there.

Trevor

[John R]

Thanks. I have seen those and they do make it look as if it's retractable. what caused the uncertainty was the way the kit made it seem as if the doors were just fairings. Unless I hear otherwise I will go for doors.

John

[Brian G]

John,

In 'The Warplanes of the Third Reich', William Green's text, photographs and drawings show a tailwheel with doors.

The text states that for Project 1065, (the Me 262 proposal name), ....and the tailwheel retracted aft.

​Hope this helps.

Regards, Brian

[derek burton]

Yep in the 262 bible (classic ) its a retractable tail wheel.

Dek.

[John R]

Thank you all. That seems to put it to bed

John