Mickey312 wrote:Towing a Streak was very delicate. It didn't have nose-wheel steering and the guy in the cockpit had to steer with the brakes and brake for the tow-truck, or the nose-gear would get damaged.
Mickey
Well, I have to correct myself (thanks dad
!). With the eighty-four, during taxi, the shimmy-damper in the nose landing gear (NLG) permited some movement of the nosewheel. In that way, it allowed steering by assymetric braking with the main landing gear (MLG) brakes.
During towing, the towbar was connected to the nosewheel. The aircraft would follow the towtruck and the nosewheel was steered by the towbar, but the movement was limited by stops. If a too tight corner was taken, the towbar would sheer-off, so the NLG wasn't damaged.
If during towing the person in the cockpit stepped on the brakes, the chances were the NLG was pulled from under the aircraft by the towtruck, so braking by the person in the cockpit was only allowed in emergencies. In rough terrain or in snow, cables had to be attached between the MLG and the towbar during towing, again to prevent the NLG from being pulled from under the aircraft.
The above is specific to the F-84. Most other aircraft have NLG steering and during towing, the scissors have to be disconnected so that the nosewheel can follow the towbar.
I hope I got it right this time
. Oh and guys, great pics
Keep them coming!
Mickey