"Peter Dohm" wrote:
On a more apples for apples comparison, when the lowly and "draggy"
Cessna 150 and 152 are converted from a steerable oleo strut type
nosewheel to a steerable tailwheel, they are reputed to gain at least
8 knots.

I can believe that - and for anything with tires large enough for bush
flying I can see nosewheel reducing the performance much more than the RV
series, which do have more svelt nose gear and struts.

Also, I know that some other experimentals (like Kitfox) can be built in
either nosewheel or conventional gear, but I haven't searched for any
performance comparisons between two such planes that differ only in gear.
Besides, builders tend to make other changes in their homebuilts that
muddle direct comparisions.

Those are the reasons that I find myself willing to advocate for the
tailwheel.

So far I've only flown and landed an aircraft with one tire (glider) but
when loaded the CG moves forward of the tire, but with no one on board the
SGS 2-33 settles back on its tail, indicating the CG moves aft of the tire.

(Okay okay - technically the 2-33 has 4 wheels! Two small rollers near the
wingtips and a small one on the tail, plus the main tire. And there is a
skid forward of the main tire.)