MAN Approved: Robart Mfg. #815 Retractable Landing Gear

Rotating retracts for .60-size planes

Robart Manufacturing has been designing and manufacturing innovative RC accessories for more than 45 years and is best known for its extensive line of retractable landing gear. Robart retracts are available for many aircraft including kit- and plans-built designs. Many ARFs including those from Top Flite, Hangar 9, and other distributors, also are designed for Robart retracts to bolt right into place. Robart often works closely with airplane designers to makes sure their gear is easy for the customer to install. Robart retracts are available with both air-driven pneumatic cylinders and electric driven jack screw actuators.

The new 815RS (pneumatic) and the 815RSE (electric) retracts are 100-degree, rotating gear designed for .60-size airplanes in the 8- to 18-pound range. The retract arc (the up and down swing of the struts) is

100 degrees, which provides a slight forward slant in the down position. The rotation of the struts allows the wheels to retract flat within the wheel wells and is intended for military aircraft such as the F4U Corsair, the Grumman Hellcat, and the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. To produce the strut rotation, the 815 RS and RSE are equipped with a gear-like crowfoot that engages “walk-through” tooth openings in the side frames providing smooth, no-bind operation. The gear are of all-metal construction and the center-driven pivot blocks are machined from aluminum and the side frames provide positive up- and down-locks. The gear are designed to accept shock absorbing 3/8- and 7/16inch Robo Struts. Adaptor sleeves are required with the 3/8-inch-diameter struts. Dual set screws are used to secure the struts in the pivot blocks.

For the 815RS pneumatic gear, Robart has a complete air-system support kit (available separately) that includes air tank, air hoses, air valve, and other accessories. The 815 RSE electric gear come with the #177 Electric

Retract Control Unit with the receiver power lead. The control unit operates on 4.8 to 9V and is equipped with easy to use jumpers and LED indicator lights to make setup easy and troublefree. The control unit can operate up to three retract units and there is a switch for adding a delay between the gear’s actuation for a more scale-like appearance and operation.

I have been using Robart retracts for many years, and I have always found them to operate perfectly and very easy to install and maintain. For maximum performance, I recommend that all efforts be made to install them correctly making sure they sit flat and square on their rails or attachment plates. This is especially important for rotator gear like the 815 RS and RSE. If you tweak the gear during installation and the side frames become misaligned, it will affect the smooth operation of the retract units. The Robart website also features several helpful videos showing how to install and operate their retracts and accessories in great detail. From sport planes to giant scale warbirds, Robart has the retracts you need. Packaged in pairs, the 815RS pneumatic gear are priced at $219.95, and the 815 RSE are priced at $269.95. robart.com