46 Paint Schemes

[Scott]

HI All
I've been doing homework on paint schemes for my May 46 BC12D. (with Baggage Compartment D windows). After looking at all the photos I can find, including all the black and white archives, I've come to the conclusion that Taylorcraft paint schemes are kind of like fingerprints.... there are no two alike!

I've reviewed all the related posts I can find on the forum and thanks for all that wealth of information.

My general philosophy with CF-CLR is to try and stay true to the original configuration, without being obsessive or compromising safety, and taking advantage of newer materials and processes that add to reliability and durability.

The finish I plan to use is Randthane and I'm leaning toward a light shade base over particularly top surfaces. Based on what I found while stripping various parts, and the logs, I think the aircraft was predominantly baby-blue and white or possibly light grey or silver. Not my to taste.

So I would welcome input and any 1946 era photos or renderings, or knowledge of what BC12Ds looked like as they came out of the factory in 1946.

For reference I do have the renderings from 1993 John McDonald

thanks
Scott

[PA1195]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

Best wishes for a correct paint scheme. Aircraft polyurethane would be my choice for weather resistance and shedding dirt.

My mechanic has asked me to collect links to rebuild blogs with pictures to help with maintenance. It's not easy to look inside some areas to inspect. He liked your build up photos, same for others here that have shared their work.

Gary

[Robert Lees]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

...My mechanic has asked me to collect links to rebuild blogs with pictures to help with maintenance. It's not easy to look inside some areas to inspect. He liked your build up photos, same for others here that have shared their work.

Gary

I hope your mechanic is appreciative of the work that the likes of Scott (and others) freely offer to the Taylorcraft community.

Any discount he gives upon your annuals etc should be passed on to the rest of us!

[PA1195]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

I hope your mechanic is appreciative of the work that the likes of Scott (and others) freely offer to the Taylorcraft community.

Any discount he gives upon your annuals etc should be passed on to the rest of us!

He's rebuilt one T, but many Pipers (his speciality). His comment was compared to the P's the T's are a lot of work. I'm lucky to have found someone willing to maintain my plane. All the rebuild Blogs I've read are a treasure and a work of love for a disappearing art.

Gary

[M Towsley]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

There have been stories on here where the paint scheme, ie., the stripes let's say, were laid out different day-to-day depending upon who was laying the tape. (And probably how hung-over they were from the night before).

[PA1195]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

There have been stories on here where the paint scheme, ie., the stripes let's say, were laid out different day-to-day depending upon who was laying the tape. (And probably how hung-over they were from the night before).

Or just came out of the dope shop after huffing Nitrate fumes.

Gary

[Scott]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

seems to be closer to the truth than we might want to believe.

Found lots of pictures of prewar aircraft in their original livery (and no clear standard is apparent) but I've not yet found very many post war images. I gather the John MacDonald renderings were based on sales ads but there seems to be not many 1946 versions of those even. I like that Deluxe scheme, I was just hoping to see other options before making a decision.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

When I was first working on my 45 (back in the late 70s) I got a chance to talk to a guy who was actually a paint shop guy at Taylorcraft. He said the side color lines were based on who was pulling the tape that day. Sometimes the tape ran to the base of the fin post, sometimes to the middle between the bottom and the stab and on those sometimes they would end the stripe under or even in front of the stab (depending on the tape job).
On the Deluxe they could run the lower color all the way back across the rudder or sweep it down, depending on how the painter felt. The only requirement was that both sides were THE SAME! Same with the wings. Sometimes with a trip color on the leading edge, sometimes (not as often) not. The tips could go straight all the way, be swept back to the tip light or all the way to the aileron end rib tip, as long as both wings were the same.

They all looked good and no one cared.

On the side stripe planes the diamond at the front the diamond could be on the cowl or the boot and the height on the fuselage varied. The only thing that seemed standard was the width of the base color accent stripe. It was the width of the tape they were using that day.

Hank

[NC43501]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

At one time I tried to draw up examples of the many different schemes and colors I could find. It's by no means exhaustive, and most of the colors are best guesses, but here's a gallery of what I came up with:

http://www.woodwingstudio.com/Airplanes/Taylorcraft-Paint-1945-46/n-hWCjFG/

[M Towsley]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

Hey Anthony, good to see you are still around.

[PA1195]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

If mine were up for color I'd pick #28 as is, or possibly a yellow over blue. Whatever memories you may have of your childhood blanket seems to work.

Gary

[Scott]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

At one time I tried to draw up examples of the many different schemes and colors I could find. It's by no means exhaustive, and most of the colors are best guesses, but here's a gallery of what I came up with:
http://www.woodwingstudio.com/Airpla...5-46/n-hWCjFG/

Nice!
Thank You

[Scott]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

When I was first working on my 45 (back in the late 70s) I got a chance to talk to a guy who was actually a paint shop guy at Taylorcraft. He said the side color lines were based on who was pulling the tape that day. Sometimes the tape ran to the base of the fin post, sometimes to the middle between the bottom and the stab and on those sometimes they would end the stripe under or even in front of the stab (depending on the tape job).
On the Deluxe they could run the lower color all the way back across the rudder or sweep it down, depending on how the painter felt. The only requirement was that both sides were THE SAME! Same with the wings. Sometimes with a trip color on the leading edge, sometimes (not as often) not. The tips could go straight all the way, be swept back to the tip light or all the way to the aileron end rib tip, as long as both wings were the same.

They all looked good and no one cared.

On the side stripe planes the diamond at the front the diamond could be on the cowl or the boot and the height on the fuselage varied. The only thing that seemed standard was the width of the base color accent stripe. It was the width of the tape they were using that day.

Hank

Thanks Hank
So do you think if I were to pick the deluxe scheme and add trim colour to the fin and stab leading edges it could still be "authentic?"

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

Not sure what "authentic" is any more. When I did my layout for the 41 and 45 I knew they were both originally "Deluxe" models and knew the colors and basic layout. I just collected as many photos as I could and did one for each that was within "the boundaries" of the photos.

If you are not going off the deep end (like I sometimes do, way too often actually), you can make mods as you wish. We aren't the Smithsonian after all.

Your description sounds really nice, like something one of the painters might have done if the super wasn't looking too close one day. ;-) I'm sure quite a few planes probably went out with little "extras". Painters bore easily.

Hank

[M Towsley]

Re: 46 Paint Schemes

I doubt highly if a paint scheme is going to raise the value of our beloved Taylorcrafts anytime soon. I certainly have seen some schemes that were not thought out well at all. A simple scheme done well would be fine. My scheme, though done over twenty years ago, gets a lot of positive comments. It consists of the simple diamond and stripe with black wing leading edges, (swept back on the tip a bit), and black leading edges of only the horizontal. I have also seen similar on the vertical fin.

After seeing the discussions over the years on here about paint schemes it is pretty clear no one really knows what a 'correct' factory scheme is, (even if one exists).