Warbird Information Exchange

Hi Wixer's

I am restoring a 1943 Fairchild UC-61K Forwarder here in the USA. This aircraft USAAF # 43-14964 was entrusted to RAF under the Lend Lease Act and flew under Royal Air Force as an Argus III with code HB690.
It has been explained to me that the batch of 40 or so aircraft in this shipment went to RAF on USS Samwater in June 1944. These aircraft all went without tail wheel assemblies due to a backlog of from the manufacture. Once received into RAF service a self centering knuckle jointed trailing link BRITISH assembly was installed. I have been trying to find out the manufacture name of this tail wheel assembly without luck. the only data plate only has a serial number on it. 2 other UC-61's in the world have or had this assembly installed, neither owner could find information about the assembly either and swapped them out for a standard Fairchild tail wheel assembly. We are getting close to final assembly and test flight for our airplane and I would like to rebuild the tail wheel using manufacture manuals or procedures. I have attached some pictures of the 2 other aircraft that show the trailing link tail wheel. the silver plane is in the UK and the yellow plane is in Switzerland. Our plane is in RAF camouflage.
thanks in advance for any help!
[img'Fuselage Painted 07-01-2015_zpsurn0vvwo][/img]
[img]HB-ERO%20ARGUS%20III-2_zpsiq7lplfl[/img]
[img]Tailstrut01_zpsag10khyn[/img]
[img]43-14887%20-6_zpsfchudvdb[/img]


Jim C
Midwest Aeronautique LLC
UC-61K USAAF # 43-14964 / RAF # HB690

pictures failed to load, attempt #2

[img]<iframe%20width="480"%20height="360"%20src="http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/RampRatOne/embed/slideshow/UC-61"></iframe>[/img]