STEM project @ McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS

[Mcconnellstem]

Hello Taylorcrafters!

My name is Doug Snead, and I’m stationed at McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS. We are rebuilding a 1941 BC12D on base as a STEM project with local youth. Here is our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/McConnellSTEM

We have local resources, and an awesome IA overseeing our project. But as you can imagine, the better the IA, the busier he is [with multiple projects]. So, I’d like to tap into as many resources as I can. I’m hoping I can crowdsource with you all, and spread out my “dumb” questions, so I don’t overburden any one resource.

My first question is this. The drawings in our manual are difficult to read. Do you know of any better drawings? I’m happy to pay postage in order to scan them on our large format scanner (~60") and mail back. Then we can upload the digital files to your site.

Also, to help identify parts, I'd like to post pictures of parts that we're not sure about the name / part number.

My emails are:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Thank you in advance!
Doug Snead

[N96337]

Hi Doug!! I've been meaning to get back to your message and text!! Glad to see you here, as it was the first place I was going to send you!
John Hanson

[astjp2]

Dont expect much for manuals. Post some pics of your project and Ragwing nut is close to you in Oklahoma and will have a lot of parts. Also not IA's are the same, is he a tube and fabric guy? Cessna and cirrus guys don't cut in in the Taylorcraft world, they have it easy with factory support and parts.

[Mcconnellstem]

Thanks John & ASTJP2!

The IA is a tube/fabric guy, and has done a Taylorcraft before plus other tube/fabric projects.

Thanks for the lead on parts, I'm not sure what we'll need at this point. Luckily the owner kept the parts bagged and boxed up well. It's in real nice shape too.

Doug

[Mcconnellstem]

I was also going to ask if anyone on here has project pics from their rebuild. Maybe they could mail me a disc? Or post to our google drive folder.
Doug

[Hank Jarrett]

I have LOTS of pics of my 41. Not as well sorted as I would like but if you start posting pics of the components you are working on we will add ours to yours so you can see how we did it. My collection also has a LOT of photos from other people and their projects. When you name your photos try to remember to use something liek a preface of McAFB so your photos are easier to recognize. TRUST ME, it is really hard to know which photos are of your parts and which are from others once the pile of pictures gets deep!

[Hank Jarrett]

Do you have the original wood doors? Take good care of them. They are great doors and can be really solid but you need to be a real master furniture maker to build one! I rebuilt mine and can provide hints to make them last pretty much forever. Same for the original windshield and wind screens. Not really "hard" to build, but you will break a lot of plexi while doing it.

Hank

[Scott]

A set of the available factory drawings can be purchased from essco aircraft for what I concidered to be a reasonable price. https://www.esscoaircraft.com/p-6048...chematics.aspx


My 46 BC12D restoration is documented at https://c-fclr.blogspot.com/

and you can find Rob Lee's restoration at https://taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_rebuild1.htm

[Ragwing nut]

I am getting thin on certain parts, but still have quite a bit of stuff. Let me know if I can help

[astjp2]

A set of the available factory drawings can be purchased from essco aircraft for what I concidered to be a reasonable price. https://www.esscoaircraft.com/p-6048...chematics.aspx


My 46 BC12D restoration is documented at https://c-fclr.blogspot.com/

and you can find Rob Lee's restoration at https://taylorcraft.org.uk/Brey_rebuild1.htm

Scott, how clear are those essco drawings? I was wondering if they are worth buying. Tim

[Scott]

Here's a photo of the instrument panel drawing which is about 30" x 30"'. Most of the text on most of the drawings can be deciphered. I think for $15 their tough to beat. Need to remember however that there are revisions missing and although they are identified as BC12D some things appear on the drawings which are prewar, the wing drawing is a modified drawing of a prewar wing for example and there is some detail missing.

[Hank Jarrett]

Just as a note, there is a section of the Taylorcraft Forum devoted just to the Model B - 1941 and Deluxe Production. It would be a good place for your posts.