WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

[1938BF50]

Does anyone have a couple of the old style pre-war tilt out window actuators for sale or trade? I am in the process of converting my ’40 to the swing out style windows. As it sets, it has no ventilation short of the rotating bubble vents in the fixed panes. I need (2) complete assemblies for the frames that I am fabbing up. I spent most of yesterday with a 1/32” cut-off wheel and air grinder removing the window frames from my door frames. It took all of my patience to not cut thru the thin (.030” or so) J-tubing door frames while cutting thru the welds holding the fixed frames in. Has anyone else seen fixed windows on a 1940? I have the heavy fabbed up steel doors (almost 12# each as removed from the plane. My complete doors for the 1938 finished at under 5 pounds each!

[cvavon]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Mike when i did this to my pre war door they weigh a little over 3 lbs like in the photo.They improve the side vision and ad to the safety in the pattern.they are flip out also

[3Dreaming]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Mike, the doors should be like on the '38. Made up out of the "P" shaped metal, with a frame like in Chuck's picture. I don't think I have any latches, but I might be able to come up with a pattern.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Tom,

They are...with a lot more metal added. I have never seen a wooden door but imagine these to be the metal version of the wooden door(about 1 1/2" thick). Because of the weld sequencing, it was done (I assume at the factory) during the initial welding of the rolled "J" section tubing. I now have a total of 11 Taylorcraft doors and these are the only (2) that are identical opposites. The other (8) prewars are ALL different. I will get some pictures tonite to better explain and show the construction.

I already have a rusty old pattern, but was hoping to save some fab time and just buy a couple in decent shape.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Tom,
Here are a few pics of the doors on my 1940. Note that both doors are SN#’d to the frame (2240) an oddity in itself. I studied these close last night and am convinced these are original doors. The workmanship of the welds is consistent everywhere. Ignore the aluminum skins, as I am sure they were added later. Note that the door frame IS the rolled “J” section tubing.

[cvavon]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Mike the doors that are in the photos also have numbers stamped in them that match the air frame stamps on hinge and throttle bracket.

[3Dreaming]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Mike, the latches are like on the wood doors from the '41 DeLuxe, and they kind of look like they were built to be like those doors. There is a row of rivets below the window in the one picture, but I couldn't see them from the views of the other side of the door. What kind of rivets are they?

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Tom, They are slotted PK's not rivets. The rest of the doorskin is flanged over and riveted on the "j" channel flange. I see no evidence of fabric glue/dope buildup on the inside surfaces of the doorframe flanges. Maybe the aluminum skins are "original".

Cvavon, So you are saying that your 1940 doors are also numbered?

[3Dreaming]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

I think most of the "P" tube doors were numbered to match the fuselage. I know the ones for my '41 BL were.

The doors don't match anything I have seen before, but you know how these airplanes were built back then. These doors might be original, and a pre-design for the doors on the '41 deluxe. They might have been something that was done in the field way back in the history of the airplane. It's one of those things you may never know the answer.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

The plane sold new to SouthWest Airways in California. I am sure they had maintenance facilities to work just about any kind of magic. The logs show that NC27599 accumulated nearly 5000 hrs between 1940 and mid 1943. That's pretty much 8+hrs a day.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Still looking for one or two of these window hinges.

[cvavon]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Mike a neat touch on my windows someone put hitch pins in the hinges and the latch.This makes taking the window off and storing it in the baggage a two minute job and nice in the summer.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Chuck,

I did the same thing to my '38. It was nice in the summer to pop them off. Intend on doing the same to 27599.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

The latches are really easy to make from thin sheet steel using a vice as a break. I need to hunt down the tracing of the parts. I know I have them "some place" and can mail them, but I would absolutely use Chucks pin system to remove the window and make a better tension pin for the clip too. The original has the threaded knob, washers, a tube and a nut brazed to the latch. When you take it apart to pull the window there are parts all over in the grass. It needs a one piece pin with a lanyard so nothing gets lost.

Hank

If no one posts the sketch I posted before of the parts keep pinging me. It is on here somewhere and I will keep looking as I clean my mess up.

[1938BF50]

Re: WTB...Prewar swing-out window actuators

Hank,

I appreciate the offer but already have a couple crusty old samples as templates. I was hoping to save a half a day and procure a couple.