There are a few tail-dragger modifications coming out for MSFS, with the bush C172 and now the Robin, both over at flightsim.to.

Considering the restricted view on take-off and potentially more difficult ground handling, why are these so popular?  Is there a good reason to have a tail-dragger?

Edited May 10, 20215 yr by bobcat999

Nose gear get damaged very easily on rough ground. Nose gears are for asphalt and concrete.

Additional considerations:

• A taildragger has more prop clearance, which again is a benefit on grass and dirt strips
• A tailwheel weighs less than a nosewheel and produces less drag

If you like to fly historical aircraft, most of them are taildraggers.  Can't remember who invented the nosewheel or when.  Anyone know which was the first to have a nosewheel?

I do not link my love to aircraft to the configuration of their landing gear.

7 minutes ago, cianpars said:

If you like to fly historical aircraft, most of them are taildraggers.  Can't remember who invented the nosewheel or when.  Anyone know which was the first to have a nosewheel?

I'd say it's the same guy who gave us the Aileron... can you name him and this plane?

I stay away from them because of the restricted view on take-off and difficult ground handling, the only one I fly from time to time is the Extra 300 LT when I want to do some aerobatics for fun, but I would never buy a taildragger.

1 hour ago, bobcat999 said:

 

Considering the restricted view on take-off and potentially more difficult ground handling, why are these so popular?  Is there a good reason to have a tail-dragger?

All you wanted to know about tricycle vs tailwheel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conventional_landing_gear

Should I add that seeing the runway coming up after the first part of the taking off roll is, for me, a thrill that I never tire of 😃. 

Tail draggers somehow are much more fun to land. 🙂

2 hours ago, bobcat999 said:

There are a few tail-dragger modifications coming out for MSFS, with the bush C172 and now the Robin, both over at flightsim.to.

Considering the restricted view on take-off and potentially more difficult ground handling, why are these so popular?  Is there a good reason to have a tail-dragger?

I fly nothing but the Milviz FG and FI Spit, both tail draggers. Your right they are difficult to takeoff and land, but thats also why I love them. Becasue IMO it makes takeoff and landing a chanllage unlike a PA 28/ M20/jets etc that are not really somthing you have to think about when doing both. Landing a FG and Spit you are 100% focused and you need to be. As for a C172 tail dragger? no.....my 2 fav aircraft have speed, no AP etc, hands on flying and a real sense of joy at pulling off a good takeoff and landing. 

I truly think there a big skill step up from taking off and landing anything else. Also the FG and Spit have totaly diffrent "dancers" to do both. A joy to get right.

Edited May 10, 20215 yr by Nyxx

1 hour ago, Stoopy said:

I'd say it's the same guy who gave us the Aileron... can you name him and this plane?

That's the Silver Dart, designed by J A Mc Curdy - but I had to look it up!    An interesting read!

http://aviation-history.com/early/curtiss.htm

Thanks guys for all of the replies.  I consider myself a bit better educated now, as all the points given are valid of course.   

I do actually like some of the draggers by the way (I am flying the bush Cessna 172 and Spitfire a lot - and soon to be P-40 also next weekend), I just wondered about their reason for being.

32 minutes ago, bobcat999 said:

and soon to be P-40 also next weekend)

There walkthrought is not the best, I made one thats sorts all that out, I sent them a copy. If you want a copy just PM/DM me your email.

Just now, Nyxx said:

There walkthrought is not the best, I made one thats sorts all that out, I sent them a copy. If you want a copy just PM/DM me your email.

Excellent - Will do!

I'm guessing that the ability to move your head around in VR would make landing and ground handling a bit easier than a single screen in a taildragger.

Thinking about my next upgrade, I don't know whether to go up to the next resolution level (that's the one under 4k) or VR.  So far, the VR I've actually seen in real life seems to be pretty low rez to me.