Wheel Pant History

[Scott]

HI All
When researching for CF-CLR I found photos of many different types of wheel pants.

My understanding is fiberglass models are all aftermarket, Welded aluminum with exposed flange were used on prewar aircraft, and welded aluminum with the extruded strip covering the weld were installed on Postwar. Correct?

My question is about the doubler at the outboard attach point, ie where the axle bolt location. I drew mine from a photo. It resembles the wing 'feathers' on the tail "Taylorcraft" logo.

I understand some of the deluxe models had a different trim treatment on the pants.

Anyone have more history on this (factory drawings, sketches, photos perhaps)?

I've seen photos of several 46s with the "flyers" but not all.

[3Dreaming]

The metal pants were not welded. They had a mechanical seem.

The pre war both sides are flanged up. On side is longer and folds over the other side.

Post war is a lapped seam. I think they are riveted, but not 100% sure on that.

The different trim on the Deluxe airplanes was painted on.

[Hank Jarrett]

There were also "Spatz" type wheel pants that were much more open on the bottom. They seem to be used on very early models. I have one (one side) along with the fairing that went over the gear leg. I have held on to it thinking someday I would make a drawing and mirror image it to make a full set.

So many projects, so little time!

Hank

[Scott]

The metal pants were not welded. They had a mechanical seem.

Are you positive on this Tom? In all the research I've done the post war pants have a welded joint covered by a strip held in place by Pk screws.

Never seen reference to a non-welded joint. That doesn't mean certainty but every time someone represents pants as original or authentic, including on this site, they're of the welded variety.

the TCDS doesn't specify a manufacturer and neither do the available drawings. The "fenders" that Hank referred to are specified as Consolidair but nothing about the pants or "streamliners" as their called.

[3Dreaming]

I am certain on the pre way that it is not welded. It has been a while since I have seen a post war pant, but to me the way they changed the joint welding doesn't really make sense. Maybe Ryan will chime in. He has first hand knowledge on the post war metal pants.

[Scott]

Yeh, who knows why Taylorcraft made decisions. I suspect they changed suppliers.

Ryan's are the same as mine, welded and covered with a strip held on with PKs and my research leeds me to believe this is the original post war configuration.

Anyway, what I'm still interested in, is the history of the "flyer" pattern for the doubler. Kind of a "trademark" feature of the post war pants yet I can't find it in any historical record (that I have access to)

[Ryan]

All Taylorcraft wheelpants are made by Consolidair which was started by Duke Iden. Other airplanes used them of course. The model number for the full pant escapes me (14?). Both sets of post war pants I have access to (mine and my EAA chapters) are welded. I also have a set of the consolidair fenders that Hank is talking about. They are consolidair model 16s. They are riveted together as Tom describes. But I believe they are later not earlier as I have only seen them on later models such as the ‘47s and on. The Model 19s and the 15s20s built in Conway used Consolidair 17s which were more commonly used on Supercruisers and Pacers. Examples posted below. The black and white photo is the prewar Tom was talking about.