Orginal Wheel Pants

[Scott]

Here's a drawing of the flyers I made (slightly oversize to address small issues left by originals):

https://vb.taylorcraft.org/forum/taylorcraft/everyday-taylorcraft-discussion/12221-wheel-pant-flyers

I think the cast ones are magnesium done by Wellcast, the same company that did the magnesium aileron hinges. The welded steel versions were used by the factory but not sure when. Welded aileron hinges predated the cast versions, wonder if there were welded wheel pant mounts during that era as well.

Just in case.... post war pants are welded along the center joint and the weldment is covered with an aluminum extrusion held in place with Pk screws. Prewar pants are joined by a formed flange.

I was never able to find specific reference to the flyers in any drawings or parts catalogs so can't say which model aircraft they appeared on. They do appear in old photos of BC12D models.

[Hank Jarrett]

Found a pant bird (not mine, but just like mine). Still looking for the drawing but you should be able to scale from the traced one with the dimensions.

Pant bird.jpgtcraft 43319 (Stumpy) wheelpant bird 1.jpgPant bird.jpg

[Hank Jarrett]

OK, this is frustrating. Just went through my photo files and can't find a pic of the welded up brackets. They are solid and reliable, but look like CR*P! Probably why I didn't take a picture of them. They are made up of welded up pieces of flat stock and ugly as sin. If you are interested in making brackets it would be a good project, but right now wheel pants are kind of off my RADAR. Let me know if you are interested in a winter cold weather project. I also have a drawing of hte "bird wing" that goes on the outside of the pants and will post it as soon as I find it. I took an AWFUL LOT of photos while working on my planes! I need a long winter to sort them. ;-)

[Hank Jarrett]

There are a couple of types of original attach fittings i have seen (and have). This is the first and as far as I know earliest. It is cast aluminum and in my opinion a mass of cracks in loose formation. I DO NOT TRUST THEM. That is the bad news. The good news it they look great and "should" be reproducible with a welded bracket with a GRP or vac formed shell over them. They would be slightly larger and unless someone was holding an original next to them no one would know. PantFtg1.jpgPantFtg2.jpgPantFtg4.jpg

[Jim Herpst]

I just purchased some original Taylorcraft Wheel Pants. The person selling them said they had the attachment hardware with them, which was true, only the hardware is obviously for new Fiberglass wheel pants for a B series Taylorcraft. So that being said any body have the original hardware ? For sale or loan for me to copy and have them made ?. If not that then some pictures with dimensions so I can get some made up (including the "wing" on the exterior side.) Thank you ! Jim