Values Of The Taylorcraft

[Bigdog]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Is a DCO or DCO 65 the same plane as an L2?

Yes. The DCO-65 is the civilian observer model designation for the L-2A/B/M. The DC-65 is the fastback/turtledeck which would have been the plain L-2, converted TG-6.or a pre-war civilian D model.

[M Towsley]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Gary,

Not sure if all-wood wings would be a good idea if it were to be stored outdoors. Again, there are not that many to start with. That L-2 project listed for sale looks funny to me. That looks like a DC-65 with the turtledeck and the empennage does not look right to me, but they are all bunched together so it is difficult to say. Plus it looks like it has Cub wheels on it.

[PA1195]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Looks like two DCO-65's in Alaska...one at the Museum and one owned by Robert Picard who post here.

B series: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...ltxt=&PageNo=1
L-2: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...t=L-2&PageNo=1
DCO-65: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...CO-65&PageNo=1

Wood was the way before metal but at $0.25/hour labor rates (https://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.htm). Today moisture from condensation would make it cost prohibitive to maintain unless stored in a controlled environment.

I worked two summers 1963-4 night shift alone in a gas station in Wisconsin for $0.50/hour. They at least paid Social Security which got me 40 quarters eligible eventually.

Gary

[Nefj40]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Gary,

Not sure if all-wood wings would be a good idea if it were to be stored outdoors. Again, there are not that many to start with. That L-2 project listed for sale looks funny to me. That looks like a DC-65 with the turtledeck and the empennage does not look right to me, but they are all bunched together so it is difficult to say. Plus it looks like it has Cub wheels on it.

That AK one has been for sale for a while. Tail feathers look balanced like a Piper.

[n6346m]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

The L-2's must be warm climate birds as I've never seen one in my 52 years Alaska. They exist here I realize but are not that popular or rather avoid our climate for some reason. Maybe it's the lack of floats or skis and heat in winter? I've read about them and they appear to be a fun plane to own and fly.

As far as expense...what price is happiness and the reward of flying something a pilot enjoys?

Gary

Gary,
As you can see in the Avatar in my post that my L-2B is on skis and has been on skis every winter since 99. I also have a pair of 1320 floats that plan to eventually get approved. The L-2 was really built as a forward observation (spy) plane and as such the military probably wanted it as quiet as possible. Consequently the L-2 has a huge muffler for its size and as a result it has a lot of surface area to transfer heat into the cabin. The L-2 puts out a lot more heat than any other T-craft I have ever seen. Of course the front seat gets more heat than the back and a little can find its way to the back seat if the person in the front is willing to be a little uncomfortably warm. When my wife goes with me in the winter, I will put her in front and put her in charge of the cabin heat knob.
I realize that Anchor Point doesn't get nearly as cold as someplace like Fairbanks but even on the coldest days I don't think I can handle full cabin heat. Of course there is always the exception that, like my 69 VW bug, when you go downhill for any length of time, it starts to get cold. If you come to our AK tribe annual ski fly-in at Caribou lake in March, I can give you a sample.

[n6346m]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Gary,

Not sure if all-wood wings would be a good idea if it were to be stored outdoors. Again, there are not that many to start with. That L-2 project listed for sale looks funny to me. That looks like a DC-65 with the turtledeck and the empennage does not look right to me, but they are all bunched together so it is difficult to say. Plus it looks like it has Cub wheels on it.

Marty,
I have researched that particular airplane and according to the serial number it is an L-2A that someone tried to convert to a more conventional fuselage. When I talked to the owner he wasn't sure where the data plate was or if he had in in the boxes of parts somewhere.
In reference to your comments about authentic markings and paint schemes, I'm sure that the purist shudder and roll their eyes when they see mine. If mine were authentic, they would never find me if I ever went down in this great big state. In addition, I really feel a little uncomfortable flying around in an airplane that was meant to blend into the background. Paint schemes and markings are things easily corrected when the airplane is headed for its retirement in a museum.

[n6346m]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Looks like two DCO-65's in Alaska...one at the Museum and one owned by Robert Picard who post here.

Gary,
There are four L-2s in Alaska that I know of. Mine, the basket case L-2A, The museum's L-2M, and Captain Mike Hunt's L-2 M based at Merrill field in Anchorage. Captain Hunt a WWII veteran in his 90s still flies is L-2 in the summers and is a member of the Alaska wing of the Confederate ....er....I mean Commemorative Air force. He has given up winter flying, In fact, the skis that I currently have on my L-2 were bought from him.

[PA1195]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Thanks Bob for the great info on Alaskan L-2's!...Just never had a chance to visit with an owner or see one so wrongly assumed they were excluded from our State for a reason. The heater that works would be nice. I like a defroster tube as well, and cover the rear of cockpits with a curtain as cold come forward from the rear of most planes. Cubs in particular have that problem and can introduce CO to the cockpit from trailing exhaust.

I would think skis would be worthwhile with the type of gear. Not sure about float approval today given all the uncertainty with the FAA's process and then CG, stability, spin testing, and of course cooling. Might be a Midnight Aviation experiment as I'm sure it would fly.

Yes had a similar 1967 VW at the UofA in the '60s without a gas heater and learned to keep'er revved up. Never thought about wrapping door springs around the header pipes back then.

Final note. I do ham radio and your location near Anchor Point is the best in mainland Alaska for propagation. Has to do with minerals in the soil (like iron) creating a great natural ground plane for antennas.

Keep the stories and pics coming of your L-2B project.

Gary

[NC36061]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Re. Alaska L-2s, don't forget about THIS ... N8518Q was registered experimental, now deregistered

[M Towsley]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Bob,

Unless you paint it all yellow or orange you will still disappear. I was shooting a bunch of touch & goes with my friend in his L-2M in olive drab with stars and bars. Even though I was very close to him, I would still lose him in the trees. It is effective camouflage.

As to purist, I happen to be one. Due to costs of fabric, paint time chances are it will in that scheme for just about forever. Not enough museums to put all those old birds into, they will just die outside or in a corner of an old hangar, unfortunately. As I also am someone who gives tours at a local museum I like to stick to facts not fantasy and don't want to misinform others. As I have said before, no L-2 served overseas except a rumor of two possibly going to Italy but I have never been able to confirm that. I have been involved in the warbird world for about 30 years and I know there are people who wouldn't touch it as is, but then again there are others who would. That is fine as long as they like it that way but when you invest $30K to $40K for a Taylorcraft I prefer they be painted right.

As to that L-2 project, there is still something wrong with those tail pieces. I just cannot discern enough to be sure. And, due to not that many A-models around that really hurt the value of that project.

[PA1195]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

The L-2 project for sale tail pieces are likely Piper...either Pacer or Cub with air balanced elevators.

More pics of the project: http://alaskaslist.com/1/posts/10_Tr...b_Project.html

Gary

[M Towsley]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

That's what I thought they looked like. Frankenstein airplane.

[n6346m]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Authentic or not, I'm still not going to cover it with cotton and nitrate dope. I'm sure this little bird will find a new loving home and still be flying long after I'm dead.

[M Towsley]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Hi Bob,

Not sure how you got cotton and nitrate dope out of that conversation but that was not what I was intimating. Your plane, do as you wish. Nothing was aimed at you, anyway, I was just giving MY opinion and that of many warbird owners.

[SteveR]

Re: Values Of The Taylorcraft

Great information everyone, thank you. This thread has answered several questions for me. I think I'm going to try to bring that L-2M home this weekend. It does have invasion stripes, sorry.