Instrument Panels

[dejh22]

Will a pre war instrument panel fit a post war Taylorcraft? Also can you switch the wings? The wings are 13 rib. Thanks!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Instrument Panels

"Can"? Yea,sure, with some modifications. Should you? Is it legal? Will anyone know the difference (who could give you a hard time for it), probably no on all counts.
The problem comes when you face a conformance check (doesn't happen very often, but can be a nightmare). What is it you have and what is it you want to end up with? Does your paperwork match your plane? Trying to make it match? There are LOADS of planes with mixed 13 and 15 rib wings(using stamped and built up wings, sometimes with both kinds of rib in the same wing! Lots of "pre war planes that have post war fuselages, and the other way around.
More info will help.
Hank

[dejh22]

Re: Instrument Panels

Story.... Two project Taylorcrafts, a 1941 and a 1945. The 41 was put together with the wings from the 45 and instrument panel. So the 45 project is left with the wings from the 41 ( 13 rib ) and the instrument panel. The 45 should be 1200 # gross? If it has 13 rib wings it can not be 1200# gross?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Instrument Panels

The 45s were kind of "transition" planes (I have one, and a 40 and 41 so I am familiar with both the 41 and 45). Some 45s were built up with left over pre-war fuselages (and some other bits and pieces, they didn't throw anything away back then). The "left over" fuselages were made from 1010 steel if they were older and "may" have been 4130 if later. I don't know when the transition actually happened. The pre war fuselages will have a curved tube to support the panel that was different post war. If it was a "Deluxe" fuselage it will have tabs to support the shock mounted instrument panel. The "big tach" panel had a different set of lugs. The non-left over 45 fuselages were just like the 46 and later ones. There will be differences in the door frame area too. There were two kinds of metal tube doors, a wood door and a sheet metal door. The wood ones were on the pre war Deluxe planes and the diagonals on the tube doors were different but I have yet to figure out which one is the first and which is the last. The sheet metal doors were the last one and continued into the 46 and later planes. Early doors had "flip out" windows and the sheet metal ones had sliders.

Are you confused yet? I have been studying the planes just before and after the war for about 20 years now and I STILL get confused! There are neat little differences in my 40, 41 and 45 that will let you know what went on which one, but it is almost as bad as trying to figure out the Waco differences.

My 41 has "stick" ribs, but there were 15 per side because it was a Deluxe. It also originally had the 4 piece flat panel windscreens and windshield, wood doors and shock mounted instruments.

The 45 was also a Deluxe and had stamped ribs, tube doors and a regular post war panel. The 40 was a "Frankenstein" with a post war rear fuselage grafted to a pre war cabin. The wings were post war and she had a pre war tail. It has tube doors and nothing on her matched up. I am looking for a whole new fuselage for the 40 and will need to build new 13 rib built up wings.

I have spent a LOT of time taking all of the incorrect stuff off the 41 and 45 to get them back to the original configuration. Some things are probably OK to use later parts for,like sheet metal ribs. If you aren't a real originality nut, the sheet metal stamped rib wings are better in almost every way. The one BIG item that was better on the old wings was the aileron hinge fittings. They were welded up steel tube fittings on the pre war planes and INFINITELY better than the cast magnesium ones after the war.

I "think" if you have the 13 rib wings you don't get to go to 1,200#, but am not sure. It should be in the TC which I have but need to dig out. If you have 15 rib wings (I also think) you are good. LOTS of differences. If you have some photos I may be able to tell what you have. The light weight 13 rib planes are REALLY nice flyers! The max gross weight isn't really a problem.

Hank

[dejh22]

Re: Instrument Panels

Thanks Hank! I have not seen the project yet but pics are coming to me soon. I sold my 46 project and that will be picked up this weekend. I had a health issue come up and it made things a little rough for a while. Went to a neurologist and she says its not what we all thought it might be. I should not be looking but this came up and was just curious.