N95598 in my Logbook again!

[barnstmr]

The good Lord has blessed my family once again with an opportunity to care for 1946 Taylorcraft BC12-D s.n. 7898. My dad owned this airplane from 1978 through 1986. During that period, he taught me how to hand prop, how to fly, how to maintain, how to repair, and how to restore old airplanes. Since 1986, the airplane has been in the ownership and care of Lee Eyler of Austin, TX. A few months ago, Lee called me and gave me the first shot at buying the airplane back. It has taken a few months of scraping up the money and working on the airplane, but it has all worked out for me to purchase the airplane. What a joy and blessing it is. Yesterday, was the momentous day I have been waiting and working for. With the help of Lee and my father-in-law Lon Carr, we finished up a few repairs and I the airplane out for a test hop. Today, my wife and I plan to go back over to Kittie Hill airport to take delivery and fly home. I will post some more about this airplane in the future. But for now, here are a couple of photos, including one of my kids with the airplane. And another neat photo taken while Lon was welding on the tailpost.

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Here is the first photo attachment.

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Well, we took delivery today. Flew an hour and a half without incident. She's home safe home. I will be doing a lot of inspection and maintenance checks over the next few months. Time to give a little TLC.

This is a neat shot of the glow of Lon TIG welding at the tail post.

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Here's a pic of the tail repair parts. We used the inner sleeve splice method per AC 43.13.

And a shot of me with Lee Eyler on the day I picked up the airplane from Lee.
4-16-2006.

Incidentally, the manufacture date of the airplane was 4-23-1946... almost 60 yrs ago.

[N96337]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Well congrats Terry...sounds like she's found a good home!! That's great when something like that comes back into your life!!
JH

[mhorowit]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Here's a pic of the tail repair parts.

Thanks for including the pic of the tail repairs - Mike

[VictorBravo]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Good for you Terry!!! you will be glad you bought the plane back l ong after you have forgotten everything it took to scrape the money together!

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Another piece of my plane's history.... This week I was pleasantly surprised to receive this sweet photo of N95598 taken in 1966 from George Wilhite. George, a flight instructor in San Marcos TX, has been keeping track of N95598 longer than I have. A few years ago, he told me that he came really close to purchasing this little jewel back in the 1960's, but arrived a day after another person sealed the deal. He snapped this photo at the Belton TX airport (no longer in existence). He didn't tell me he had this picture. Then out of the blue he emailed me this photo. It made my day/week/year.

[M Towsley]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

That's great, Terry. I wish I could find some old photos of my N95258. I think I will have to do some letter writing to prior owners.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Years ago I tried to contact the prior owners of NC-43196 and NC-36296 and couldn't find ANY of the ones prior to ~1980. I was at Air-Venture and a guy there was selling old pictures of airplanes out of a box and found two of NC-43196. Talk about surprised!
Hank

[Bravo 6]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Thats Great news Terry! As soon as fire season slows down I am planning on running around and visiting some of the local Taylorcraft folks!

Greg

[Buell Powell]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Hi Terry,
That is really a great picture and she's still lookin good. George had told me about the time he missed buying that Taylorcraft and found a J-3 Cub to buy.
Buell

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598 in my Logbook again!

Buell..
This airplane showed up at the Lampasas TX airport in 1975 still with the red numbers on the side and wood prop, no wheel pants. It stayed tied down outside for the following few years and was flown almost daily by an area rancher who used it to check on his cows in the evening. The photo below was taken around 1978 when it was owned by the rancher (same Grade A fabric/paint as the 1966 photo). My dad purchased it in 1978 and we flew her until 1982 when we finally dismantled it for re-cover. By then the Grade A cotton was in very rough shape. The present fabric job was done by dad and I back in 1984. It now shows to be quite faded in many areas, but the ceconite is still in good shape. I plan to rejuvinate in a year or so and see if I can get several more years out of the current fabric job.