75th, Diamond Anniversary of the BC12-D

[Mark Bowden]

While 2019 Oshkosh was a banner year for Taylorcrafters and recognition very well deserved by the awardees taking 20% of the awards in Classic. Again:
Scott, Grand Champion Gold Lindy, Bravo, Bravo!
Brett, Custom Class A
Ryan, Outstanding Limited Production
Tim, Outstanding Taylorcraft
Well done guys, fantastic work.

2020 could be even greater. 2020 is the 75^th anniversary of the Type Certification for the BC12-D, awarded 11/23/1945.

I’m proposing a 75^th Diamond Anniversary event for all of us to migrate to Oshkosh next July.

Per the VAA there has NEVER before been a Taylorcraft event at AirVenture! I have done a bit of background work meeting with our VAA President, Susan Dusenbury, multiple calls with Tim Fox (in charge of parking). Including meeting with Tim again at this AirVenture with Jim Zangger.

They are extremely excited at the possibly of this happening. They are quite keen on promoting the Taylorcraft brand as one of the “12 Affordable Aircraft” as well as having diverse club events.

They have offered to help promote the event, similar to other anniversaries. They have also mentioned the possibility of doing special group judging, group tour of the museum, special forums sponsorship and a few other ideas to help make the week more memorable. They will also be looking for someone to have their Tcraft in the “Affordable Aircraft” display at show center again.

Guaranteed Parking. They will hold parking spots for the group to be together for Friday and Saturday arrivals. Maybe on Sunday early. Spot count will be based on a reserve list I’ll keep. It will be first come first serve. If someone is delayed for a Fri/Sat arrival due to weather or mechanical, just get here, park somewhere and they will tow you to the spot in the evening. After Sunday if someone doesn’t make it they will fill in the spots like usual.

Note, “scheduled” mass arrivals are a thing of the past (more on this later).

I’ll volunteer to take the lead in event organization and be point of contact with the EAA/VAA per their request and manage the parking list.

I’ve spoken with a few of you over the past weeks and some at AirVenture with a lot of enthusiastic support.

Other than being a great time and chance for all us to get together, it is a real financial benefit as it increases brand awareness and thus demand and increased values for our birds.

Again Cheers to our 2019 winners!
Mark

[Mark Bowden]

This topic is to help gauge interest in coming to the 75^th anniversary of the BC12-D

With a couple points:

While the excuse for the anniversary is significant due to the 12-D is one of the most produced model and it is a momentous year, 75^th Diamond Anniversary, I don’t propose to make this exclusive to the 12-D. It should be about all models and the more the better, Taylor Cub to Model 20.

I’ll obviously need some help and many, many ideas on how to make this a SAFE, great time and awesome success. I’ll start a few other topics over the next few days on some specifics about making this happen.

Some areas of needed help: safety, logistics planning, general help, events, forums, etc….

Those of you with projects, Get-R-done! 362 days to go!

Who's interested? If you would like help, pm me and we can exchange email/cell #'s.

Let's make this happen!

Cheers, Mark

[astjp2]

My airplane will be 79 next year. If I am up and flyable, I will go.

[Scott]

Great stuff Mark, thanks for taking the initiative on this.

I have some thoughts about the timing that relate to what I find to be an unfortunate thing about Air Venture. Many pilots like to arrive early for a variety of reasons. The unintended consequence of this is that people start leaving on Wednesday. This year the parking areas were noticeably sparsely populated by Friday afternoon... This is actually the start of the general public show serge.

If promoting Taylorcraft to potential buyers is an objective, wouldn't we want maximum representation toward the end of the event as well as the beginning?

Related to this is that I stopped flying in on the first weekend simply to avoid the bell curve and associated free for all which is the GA arrival from Ripon. Instead I like to arrive Monday or Tuesday and stay to Sunday.

So what makes sense to me, would be to have an allocation of parking spots, which we attempt to keep occupied throughout the event. So for the guy who wants to arrive on Friday and leave Tuesday, I'll take his spot when he departs (for example). I can see this would be a tough sell to the somewhat linear thinking at OSH but frankly they should be looking at incentives that will keep the show plane areas full throughout the week.

Anyway, just my thoughts on the odd reality of a general aviation event where many if not most of the GA aircraft have left by the peak of the public attendance.
S

[Ryan]

We plan to be there again next year with both the 15A and BC12D. We were fortunate enough to have two L2s with us this year and can probably get at least one of those to return as well . The past couple of years we have gone up the Thursday before and will probably do so again next year. I will start to promote this event as well with others if we decide to go forward with it.

[astjp2]

We plan to be there again next year with both the 15A and BC12D. We were fortunate enough to have two L2s with us this year and can probably get at least one of those to return as well . The past couple of years we have gone up the Thursday before and will probably do so again next year. I will start to promote this event as well with others if we decide to go forward with it.

Ryan, did you recently get a 15A from Forrest? Just curious. Tim

[Ryan]

Ryan, did you recently get a 15A from Forrest? Just curious. Tim

We actually acquired the original Taylorcraft 15 (there was only one Model 15) 4 seat prototype. It is just the fuselage and is in really poor condition, just a pattern really. We wanted to preserve the frame and Forrest agreed. Still has pieces of the original fabric from the 1950s on it as it matches photos so it appears it probably hasn't been assembled since 1951 or so. We believe, by looking at photos and the actual plane which is still flying, that Taylorcraft took the wings and possibly tail from the 15 and used them on the prototype 15A. The wings and tail on that airplane which still flies out of Punxsutawney Pa are different from our 15A and are inconsistent with photos of other 15As. The 15 itself went through numerous configurations from 1946-1950 eventually looking like what became the 15A. The fabric still on it is from when it was red with the white stripe. It was also powered by 165 hp Franklin whereas the 15As used Cont C-145.

[astjp2]

I tried to acquire some data and drawings from him, but he would never commit. I am just almost too far to drive there to sit down and negotiate with him, I just hope we can save the drawings and data for future generations.

[mikerice]

I'm interested in attending a Taylorcraft 75th at 2020 Oshkosh. Our 1946 BC-12D is capable of the flight and I know 5 others in Central Texas that might be cajoled into going too. We had a Central Texas Taylorcraft Flyin in 2012 near Mexia, and had at least 8 Taylorcraft there. Its a long haul to Oshkosh in a Taylorcraft, but it is doable.

[TimHicks]

My '46 BD12-D and I are ready to go back to Oshkosh in 2020. Count me in for a parking spot. I assume that I'll be able to camp at my airplane.

[Hank Jarrett]

Any idea if we could bring the prototype post war BC12-D in a trailer? It is in restoration and would be an uncovered fuselage and tail (maybe wings if we get that far). We would plan of camping in the trailer while the plane was out and probably pull her in if weather got bad. Would be neat to have a "nude" T with the covered ones. Amazing how people react when they see the uncovered fuselage next to my 41.

[Ryan]

Any idea if we could bring the prototype post war BC12-D in a trailer? It is in restoration and would be an uncovered fuselage and tail (maybe wings if we get that far). We would plan of camping in the trailer while the plane was out and probably pull her in if weather got bad. Would be neat to have a "nude" T with the covered ones. Amazing how people react when they see the uncovered fuselage next to my 41.

I would think there would probably be a place for that Hank, but I think it would be up near the red barn and the type club hangar. We could probably get you on Vintage in Review (just a call to Ray) especially if a finished one is there as well. You could talk about the differences.

[Hank Jarrett]

I think it would really need to be paired with a flying plane. She lives next to my flying 41 now and I wouldn't want her to get lonely......even if that was possible at AirVenture.

[astjp2]

We need to install a proper fuel system and a firewall so people can see how things are supposed to be routed, along with cables, etc...

[Hank Jarrett]

Having all the control cables possible too. Seems to be a lot of people have trouble picturing the trim system and how to rig the ailerons.