Does anyone know if Taylorcraft kept production records that could tie the serial number of a fuselage (back of throttle plate) to a completed aircraft with details such as registered N and serial number, build date, etc? And if they did, are those records in existence and accessible today? I know The Cub Doctor has records like this for Pipers but haven't heard of an equivalent existing for us Taylorcraft folks.
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Fuselage serial number and build records
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That is what I have been building in the database. Problem is the fuselages were NOT necessarily kept in order on the factory floor. The serial number on the plates are "probably" the same as what was planned for the N number and planes serial number, but they weren't terrible careful to do it. Then when the fuselages were bumped out of order they might use the serial number on the data plate or they "might" use the number that was supposed to get that fuselage. Thus many serial numbers are a few off from what is in the FAA data and it could look like there is more than one plane with the same serial number. Next problem is when planes were rebuilt or repaired often a fuselage from one plane was used to restore a different one that was damaged. Now you get the N number and serial number put in the FAA data when the plane was built but a totally DIFFERENT serial number on the plane! Good thing is that most in the FAA don't even know where to look for the serial number and just go with whatever is in the logs. Long story short, look for the serial number on the front face of the throttle plate and the hinges on the pilots side (yea, they stamped them there too!). Look in the logs for major repairs (many were never logged!) and let me know your NC number and the serial numbers you find and I should be able to get you close to where your plane was in the build order. Just not always.
Hank
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