What year is this Taylorcraft?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: What year is this Taylorcraft?

I have the separate all-flying trim tab, operated by a lever under the pilot's knees. I have fabric doors. The instrument panel has been re-done from a thick aluminum plate so it is not original. My cowling has cast aluminum grills with the center bar (tapered center bar like in Jeff's picture) and is cut off flush with the outboard edge of the cowl opening.

So Mike, if I'm reading you correctly, you're fairly sure that this airplane was not built with cast cowl grills and that there were no factory cast grills with the center bar not cut off at the outline of the grill?

Correct. You have a standard prewar model, with modified DeLuxe grills. Your model call out in you sig also verifies it is not a De Luxe either.

Mike

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: What year is this Taylorcraft?

I have all of my material at the upholsterer (sp?) now and wanted him to make me a set of the sissy straps for my plane. I probably wouldn't use them much but they really do look period and kind of classy. If anyone has an old one he could use as a patern I would love to see it. Also, and even MORE IMPORTANT, if anyone has ANY of the Deluxe side trim pieces I need them. My plane is starting to actually look really sharp and I would really like to add those trim pieces back on. I have one set on loan from Tom (I seem to have a LOT of stuff on loan from Tom. Glad he is understanding) but haven't been able to find the type of car they were on in the late 30s an dearly 40s. It DOES look like it was a Studibaker from that period, but no confirmation or replacement parts found yet.
Anybody want to lighten their plane by selling their trim pieces?

[wmfife]

Re: What year is this Taylorcraft?

Apologies for coming in late on this. That's almost certainly a D window. The postwar D model made such changes over its prewar predecessor to door and window outlines that seemed to be self-contradicting.

-Example: the original Lindbergh-style pentagonal entry door was replaced by a trapezoidal one, exposing the length of tubing the original kept hidden adding no real advantage other than a place to step.

At the same time a stamped rear window frame insert (no doubt using or inspired by contracted wartime tooling) replaced the Deluxe window outline that had previously exposed a short length of tubing, hiding the tube but also reducing visibility.

Moral: not all changes are for the better. And I have no problem understanding why this was CG's favorite Taylorcraft model.

[Bird]

Re: What year is this Taylorcraft?

Mike I sure wish that the serial numbers on the door hinge matched to my paperwork-- 1220 on hinge versus 2853 on the paperwork and yeah no data plate
Mike

[Miguel]

Re: What year is this Taylorcraft?

I have read with interest all the themes in this section.-
Reading the post of RAGWING NUT of 02-15-06, I can not agree the expressed in reference with the models 12.-
I believe that number 12 in the Taylorcraft designation do not signifique that is a De Luxe model.-
The number 12 in the models B12, signifique that the model have a gross weight of 1200 lbs, in lieu of 1150 lbs for the B Models.-
One BL/BC/BF12-65 can be or not be a Deluxe Model. If his original designation was BL/BC/BF 12-65 De Luxe, is. If not, is not a De Luxe.-