Original Markings

[Hank Jarrett]

I have read the regs (old ones) on marking wings with the large registration numbers but just to be sure, how tall were the NC- numbers used on Taylorcrafts in the old days. The old instructions (which I can't find in all my junk right now) said they should be either a set height or a percentage of the wing chord, whichever was larger. How tall were the numbers?
I have also been looking at the drawings that show the Taylorcraft logo on the tail and the most common drawing seems to be the one of NC-36002 with the half wing logo on the rudder and the small tail numbers on the fin. Interesting thing is almost every photo I have of original planes has the logo on the fin and the numbers on the rudder. Seems like most restorations follow the drawing and not the old photos. Anybody know if they did them both ways from the factory?
Hank (Taylorcraft Ivory almost all on and getting ready to shoot some Maroon!) J

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Original Markings

Now there are two of us asking the same question. I'm about ready to shoot the refridgerator white thats on the plane now with the same color ivory.(Hank, where did you get the paint, and what's the paint number?) I'm also looking for the proper color of red for the trim. Forrest, you could be a BIG help here.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Original Markings

On the Ivory I found samples of pre-war Taylorcraft Ivory from three different parts of the country, all of which had been protected from the sun (MAN! The guys on this group are great!). All three matched (when taken from the protected areas) and a piece was sent to Jim & Dondie at Aircraft Technical Support (PolyFiber dealers par-excellence) who matched the color for me in Dope (going to try the modern stuff on a Ridge Runner next). They have the formula and their service is outstanding. On the "red" there was more than one. Mine is a 41 BC12-65 and was called "Metallic Maroon" (there wasn't any metal flake or modern metallic paints prior to WW-II so it is really a VERY shinny deep maroon). I found the backsides of the lower door hinges had pristine maroon paint still on them and had some enamel custom mixed at a paint store. I will be painting the metal parts over the next couple of weeks and plan to spray some test cards to get the dope mixed to match (assuming the enamel matches the hinge). I have fabric pieces with the Ivory and will have the Maroon cards soon if the weather holds out. There are already several people that have asked for samples and I would be glad to mail some out if you guys are interested (I hope ALL of you don't want Ivory and Maroon planes!). Just in case I lost anyone’s address that I have promised samples to please send another email and I will try and get them out as soon as the weather lets me finish painting.
One final note, the people at Randolph will SWEAR their Daytona White or their Diana Cream was the original Taylorcraft Ivory (depending on whom you talk to and what day it is). IT ISN'T. I even have two of their color chip cards from several years apart (stored in a dark folder) and Diana Cream is different on both cards as well as both being different than the Diana Cream they sold a friend of mine. Their color changed at least three times in ten years and NONE of them is ANYTHING like the three pre-war samples. Jim and Dondie will do you right and they use Randolph base to MIX the right color.
Hank

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: Original Markings

Thanks Hank. I am getting the stuff to paint "Manu Sina" from ATS, so I guess if I tell them to mix me the color that you got but in the type of Poly fiber stuff that will go over the poly Fiber water based polyeurethane that's on the plane now. Man that stuff is bulletproof. MEK doesn't even faze it.
HEY FOOOORRRRREST, do the records that you have on by 1940 BC-65 serial #2302 say what color the trim stripes were? The plane now is a REAL white and have your sunglasses on Chineese Red. I don't think the factory EVER painted anything THAT loud before the war.

[Tom Baker]

Re: Original Markings

hank as near as i can tell the wing no. are 27 in. high set between the spars and starts at the 2nd. rib out at the inboard in.the logo should be on the finn the numbers on the rudder i think 5ins.high and put on with a stencle NC on top numbers on bottom. duke iden from taylorcraft told me that the maroon had gold metal flake in it. tom baker

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Original Markings

Does anyone know the original location of the diamond emblem and fuselage stripe in 1946? Peering at the photos in Chet Peek's excellent book, it looks like the diamond moved forward from the boot cowl to the front edge of the lower cowling around 1940. Where was the diamond in relation to the front cowling latch? How far back from the edge of the nose bowl?

Was the Taylorcraft logo on the tail always a painted stencil in the trim color? Or was it a decal?

Would a '46 have had any trim color stripes on the leading edge of the fin and horizontal stabilizers, or only along the leading edge of the wing?

And does anyone know the line width of the NC numbers on the wings? 4 inches wide?

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Original Markings

Just thought of another one:

Would the factory have painted the wheel rims if they were covered with hub caps, or just left the wheel rims bare aluminum?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Original Markings

Wing numbers were generally 24" tall. There use to be in Part 45 that gave size requirements for the numbers. Not the overall height, but ratio to height and thickness. 24" tall numbers are 4 inches thick, and 16" wide excluding I,M, and W. I is 4" and M and W are 20" wide.

Tail numbers I have also found were 5" tall. If the were 6" they won't fit properly.


Mike

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Original Markings

Aha. Thanks, Mike. Anyone know about the fuselage markings?

[Steve Lowe]

Re: Original Markings

I have a picture of my airplane taken in 1941 at the factory and it has the large NC number on the wing and a small number on the rudder. The rudder number is in this configuration

NC

33931


Steve Lowe

[Tom Baker]

Re: Original Markings

hank send me and email at ltbaker @consolidated.net or a telphone no. thank you tom baker

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Original Markings

Aha. Thanks, Mike. Anyone know about the fuselage markings?

I mentioned the tail n numbers which the same rules apply in ratios. Are you asking about other markings?

Mike

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Original Markings

Yes Mike, thanks for the very helpful information above, but I'm still wondering about the cowling location of the diamond and stripe in 1946, whether the Taylorcraft logo on the tail was a painted stencil or a decal, and whether there would have been trim paint stripes on the front edges of the empennage.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Original Markings

Yes Mike, thanks for the very helpful information above, but I'm still wondering about the cowling location of the diamond and stripe in 1946, whether the Taylorcraft logo on the tail was a painted stencil or a decal, and whether there would have been trim paint stripes on the front edges of the empennage.

If you have Chet's book, it should show the location of the diamond. If not, I can dig through the depths to find an original top cowl that may still have the diamond on it. Logo I think was a water decal and was black or white, maybe wrong on that. i always match the trim color when I put one on. The scallops on the tail not sure of without pullin Chet's book out

Mike