1941 bf-65 l2k ?

[Buckman]

Hello all
I am new to the Forum and have been pouring through all the info. here lots and lots of good Taylorcraft Knowledge here
I have recently acquired a couple T-Craft projects one is a January 1940 BL 65 with some logs not sure how complete but do have some logs for that aircraft. The other one I recently acquired I have just discovered from the cereal # to be a 1941 BF 12-65 and believe it may have been drafted into WW ii ?
I found some info about the aircraft purchased by the Army Airforce and there was 4 BF 12-65 aircraft purchased and would like to know if anyone could confirm this info. for me.
The serial # is 2986 the N 36021
It came with a set of L2 wood wings that were suppose to belong to the aircraft that had been shortened for a Duane Cole short wing conversion my fuselage had also been converted to a single center seat with stick controls.
I was planning to do an experimental STOL converting it back to a Side X Side seating and fitting an O-235 engine
BUT if this was an original L2K I would want to bring it back to its original configuration.
Let me know what yall think and how or where I could get more info. on this aircraft

I was just getting started on the project stripping the old paint on the fuselage and getting it ready for some new primer and paint working an hour or two here and there when I can and when funds are available trying now to figure out what primer to use there are lots of choices out there I think I am going with the etching primer ?
Anyways main thing now is to find out if it was a war plane or not and then I can continue the progress or at least know what diriction I will be going. Will try to post a few pics but not much to see yet just another bare stripped naked fulelage

Thanks TF

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

Photos of the bare fuselage will tell some of us a LOT! Many pieces of history are hidden under the fabric and not seen until the plane is bare. Post away!

Hank

[Buckman]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

Ok I will try to get a couple up this evening for you Hank

[NC36061]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

The first thing you should do is request a CD with whatever records the FAA has on file.

http://aircraft.faa.gov/e.gov/nd/

That may give some clues as to whether or not it was actually in military service. If it was in military service, I don't have any idea where to find any records if there aren't any with the airplane's paperwork. NC36061 here was in CAP and flew 1200 hours in its first three years.

The wood wings for the L2/A/B/M tandem airplanes do not interchange with B model wings to my knowledge. Your SN# must be 2986, SN# 2985 is a BL-65, N36020. The BC/F/L 12-65 are the Deluxe model offered in 1941 and are unique with special cast cowl grills, stainless steel cowl and door trim, two piece instrument panel, special "banjo" yokes, rear D-windows, 15-rib wings (aluminum built up ribs, 1200lb GW) and elevator trim tab among other things. It would be a shame to turn a Deluxe into a clipwing, but unless you already have a very complete project, finding everything to restore it as a Deluxe is a very challenging proposition.

As to priming the tubing, two-part epoxy gets used a lot.

[Buckman]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

You are correct on the cereal # it is 2986 must have hit the wrong key ? And the wings do not fit either the attach point is different. As to the Clip wing thats how I got it the landing gear are welded solid as the way Cole's were done. It does have the trim tab on the elevator.
I got the plane bare bones fuselage,Empenage,set of clipped wood wings (L2 bad shape) firewall,C65 Engine mount, and one right side door. No extras no trim handles or anything.
Any ways I have no paper work what so ever for this plane and was planning to go experimental ?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

Still might be a great plane to restore to the original Deluxe. I did a complete rebuild on my 41 Deluxe and they are REALLY nice planes! LOTS of hard to find parts but many can be made in a garage with some patience. I have the side trim pieces (an extra set) and was planning on making a tool to make replicas. Same for the grills. They are out there but many have the mounting tabs broken or the side "wings" cut off. As for actual wings, you "can" use the stamped wings (meaning they will fit) and I am betting even really BAD shape L-2 wings will be worth more when you sell them than replacement wings for a stock plane. I have several wings in my hangar in different conditions for parts.
One tough part is the lower cowl. It is NOT made from a flat sheet. It was "bowled" down with a really nice curve. I have most of the buck in my garage to make a replacement for my plane. I just need to buy an English wheel and learn yet another skill. There is a custom car body guy here who can make them but I have not gotten a price from him yet. My cowl is "functional" but has a lot of patches I re-did to make them flush patches so the outside would look good. Scab patches with protruding rivet heads really take away from the beauty. Don't be looking under the cowl top doors on my plane!!!
If the price is anywhere reasonable these are the best planes Taylorcraft ever made and fly great on 65 HP. They are light, tight and really fun to fly with wood doors that are much quieter (and warmer) than the other models. Don't be scared off by the instrument panel. I hand bumped mine from a flat sheet of aluminum and it came out great. Keep your eyes out for a 6:00 sensitive altimeter so you can put the adjust knob on the bottom like it is supposed to be! I also have the mold somewhere for the Mag switch knob and and correct plate for the panel.

Hank

Lots of photos on my FB page at https://www.facebook.com/hank.jarrett.7/photos_albums I am just re-starting my rebuild of the 45 (took her to the airport this weekend after being stored in a barn since the mid 80s). Will try to be better about posting photos of that rebuild. They didn't have digital cameras when I did the fuselage!

[Buckman]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

Thanks Hank I will go check your pics out. I have my other project I was going to build first a January 1940 BL 65 that I have almost all the parts for. The fuselage is almost ready to cover as is every thing else except for the wings which need rebuilding. I also have all the correct papers with it as well.
But now I plan to work on this the BF 12-65 it is at my house and my other plane is at another location I have about 3 hrs away. I do have an AP locally that will help me with my project so off I go.
I will try to get pics up for yall when I can.
I also like the challenge of finding or making the parts that I will need along the way

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: 1941 bf-65 l2k ?

WOW, document the 40 in as much detail as possible too! I have a 40 basket case I want to build (and I mean the whole plane would fit in a pretty small basket! Good paper but a real Frankenstein!) I have a few drawings for 40 parts too that I want to build like the instrument panel. If you have a big tach for the center of your panel take good care of it. They are hard to find.

Hank