Sea Fury’s – why different wheels?

Not sure if the are Lear Jet. The standard wheel/hydraulic brake conversion, in the US anyway, seems to be based around surplus F-102 Delta Daggar wheels. I guess they fitted well from a size perspective and were available cheap and in quantity, at least at the time.

Im sure you are correct, I knew it was something American ! 🙂 Been a long time now, memory plays tricks 🙂

Prior to March 1943, all Typhoons were fitted with five-spoke wheels. After this date, they were fitted as standard with slightly smaller diameter, thicker spoked wheels with smaller openings between the spokes. This was to permit much heavier ordnance loads.
All Tempests, Furies and Sea Furies (Single, and two seaters) were fitted with this wheel, with the single exception of the Prototype Sabre-engined Tempest HM595, which was fitted with the old-type five-spoke Typhoon wheels.

(What the Reno boys get up to is anyone’s guess.)

Thanks to everyone for all the replies and explanations.

If it offers a better performing brake system then I guess it justifies the conversion. I have to say though that after watching the superb “Invincible” today I can live with the different power plant if it means more reliability – but those Learjet / F-102 wheels just look wrong on a Sea Fury.

Can’t say I’ve looked close-up, I must pay more attention next time I’m brake spotting 😀

​​​​​​​Well, we have the roundel police, maybe it’s time for the brake police! :highly_amused:

Btw, I wonder if any folk here can spot the P-51s that use P-63 wheels and brakes?

Hopefully they will spoke up! 😮

Cheers

Paul

Ah, I see Bradburger beat me to it!

T-33 wheels were mooted to be the way to go in the early 1970’s by Lloyd Hamilton but F102 are the generally the norm as chippie51 rightly observes. Standard wheels use a typical control column operated brake system, like on a Hunter or a Spitfire whereas the Americanized version uses Hydraulically actuated toe brakes which use a foot motor or slave cylinder operated by the rocking the rudder pedals more like a T6, or P51 set up. The American mod is more powerful and doesn’t suffer brake fade like the original Hawker specified units. I’m not sure but I think there was a mod to put American brakes inside the original Hawker spec wheels and this may be what the old Bradshaw Fury ISS now has. Can’t say I’ve looked close-up, I must pay more attention next time I’m brake spotting 😀

From the original CAA AIRWORTHINESS APPROVAL NOTE issued in 2001 for G-CBEL.

5.1.11 Wheelbrake system

Installation of direct operating hydraulic brake system as per CAA AAN 23096P, but
retaining the original Dunlop wheels and Dowty axles and utilising design approved
Cleveland discs/caliper units. Mod. WLKD 003 and drawing JB 02 refer.

(AAN 23096 is for the ex OFMC Fury G-BTTA).

I’m pretty sure Air Leasing have worked on getting the cockpit back to stock condition (or as near as practicable), but I think that the braking system is still as above.

(From the recent cockpit startup video posted by Ultimate Warbird Flights, I don’t recall seeing a brake lever on the top of the stick, or a pneumatic pressure gauge).

Cheers

Paul

Not sure if the are Lear Jet. The standard wheel/hydraulic brake conversion, in the US anyway, seems to be based around surplus F-102 Delta Daggar wheels. I guess they fitted well from a size perspective and were available cheap and in quantity, at least at the time.

Paul Morgans “Baby Gorilla” had Lear Jet wheels and disc brakes which is a common mod in the USA, the other two could well have the same mod.