F-4 Landing Gear Question

[John1]

Hi Folks,

 

I'm trying to wrap up the detailing on my F-4C landing gear.   I'm left with one question.   As seen in the picture below, there is a near-vertical rod in the foreground that goes through a hollowed-out linkage and the end of which appears just be sticking out, attached to nothing.   

 

 

Is this really the case?  It doesn't seem like it would serve any purpose.  At first, I figured that it might have been simply disconnected on this old relic but I've seen a good number of other pictures showing the same thing.  Here's another picture of a much cleaner F-4.

 

Any idea if these pictures are representative of in-service F-4's?

[Alex]

I had wondered about that when doing my F-4E.  It looks like it could have a role in keeping the two parts of the gear leg radially aligned as the oleo extends and compresses.  But I’m just guessing.  I’m sure one of the F-4 experts here actually knows.

[Alex]

Or maybe it is there to catch the lower part if the oleo piston fails - prevent it from falling all the way out?

[Rockie Yarwood]

In Jake Melampy's book it is referred to as the "shrink link".  It prevents overextension of the strut when the weight is off the aircraft, allowing the gear to fit into the wheel well on retraction.

[Cheetah11]

The Kfir has a similar compression rod. When upgraded from the Mir iii a longer oleo was needed. Upon retraction the oleo is compressed to allow the new gear to fit in the old wheel well. 
 

[Ben Brown]

 

When weight comes off of the wheels, the oleo extends fully. As the gear retracts, that shrink link compresses the oleo so it will fit in the gear well. Most kit manufacturers omit this little detail and they also put the "spur" of the shrink link on the strut centerline. It should be slightly outboard. Here's the best video I could find. You can see the main gear oleos compressing as the gear retracts.

 

Ben

[John1]

Thanks for all the good info guys.   Given how prominent these things are, I'm surprised that they were omitted by Tamiya.  Certainly an easy fix though.

[phasephantomphixer]

In our scale, it is what pins are actually phor!

[Barry]

 

The Strut piece on the right shows the "link" as it appears when the gear is in the down position. The gear on the left shows the link in the retracted position, collapsing the gear to fit in the wheel well.

 

 

Barry

Edited August 7, 2022 by Barry
add pic