[jim]

Are these supposed to retract on their own?

None of mine do .

The Kittyhawk is the best one because I can gently push the gear back up and press the button and down it comes again.
The mechanism is free and moves easy, the others are have some resistance so I leave them alone.

I love that whirring noise when the wheels come down and it looks so cool.

I guess I am just a big kid at heart!

I love this hobby.