Two Restorations At Once

[CaptainJon]

OK, I am sure some will call me crazy, but I have just started, in earnest, two T-Craft restorations at once. The story goes a long way back, to when my first BC-12D, known as "Tami T-Craft", was put in storage in 1980. I was out of work and couldn't afford to keep her going so she was dismantled and put into our garage in Maine, fully expecting to get her back flying when I returned to work. Well, things happened, like marriage, kids, work........... There she sat for many years.

In 2000, with my son wanting to learn to fly, and Tami now needing much more work to get her back to flying due to the ravages of time and MICE!, I bought another BC-12D, "Traci T-Craft". He trained on her and got his license and I kept her and still fly her.

After retiring in 2007, building a new house on an airpark in Florida, and finally getting the last of the interior cabinetry done (another obsession), this winter was going to be dedicated to Tami's restoration. BUT, I happened to see on Barnstormers, a month ago, a Model 19 project for sale. It was everything that Tami was supposed to become, when I have completed her restoration, with the Harer Model 19 STC upgrade. First I thought of it as just a parts plane, with many of the things I needed for Tami's restoration like a C85-12, metal prop, box of sitka spruce spar material and more. But then I started to think how maybe it needed to be preserved too and not just cannibalized for my project.So, I bought it, hauled "Terri T-Craft" back from Virginia last weekend and have started the double restoration process. I figure it really won't take that much longer to do two of everything. For each phase, a lot of time will be spent on figuring out how to do the particular task, then doing the first one. The second one should be a lot quicker.

So, go ahead, call me crazy, but I am finally getting around to something that should have been done many years (decades) ago........ and more. Life is short. it's time!

I'll be looking to this community for help. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise here. Please bear with my frequent ramblings. I will contribute too when I can, including some stuff that's been on my shelves forever......

2021 should be a great year for Oshkosh, with all the 1946 birds turning 75 years old. We should do a mass Taylorcraft arrival! Can I make it with my two new restorations? We'll see!

Cheers,

[M Jones]

Hi John. I have no doubt that you can pull this off, and that they'll be outstanding! Time does go by quickly, can't believe it was two years ago that we stopped by and saw Tami in the hangar.

Cheers,

[[email protected]]

I also from Maine and live at an Airpark in Florida(97FL).The 15A was the same situation and was finished in Florida. I remember your posts from years ago. Im certain it will fly soon.

[Hank Jarrett]

WOW!!! So long since I heard from you! Two at once isn't nearly as complex as you might think. I worked on hmy 41 and the 45 at the same time and other than the 41 being INFINITELY easier to get back in the air it actually helped. I go from one tot he other to remember how things are supposed to go and making a new part with a good one from the other plane is great. Please start a thread on your restoration with lots of photos and good to see you posting again!

Hank

[CaptainJon]

Hank,

Good to see you here again/still.

So, I am not the only crazy person trying the two at once trick........... I have lots to reference between the three planes now in the hangar. Of course there will be some slight differences, but the plan is to have them all look similar, just different trim colors.

I have done work occasionally on Tami over the years, but never had the opportunity to do it as my daily "job". From watching my neighbors restore Stearmans, Cubs, Robins, Travelairs and the like, that seems to be the only way to do it so that it doesn't take years (or decades like Tami). We have great people here too who are willing to help, welders, painters, fabric guys, engine guys....... I am one of the younger guys here and need their help before we all get too old to do this stuff.

100 T-Craft formation arriving to Oshkosh 2021? What do you think?

Yes, I need to figure out this board.... it's quite different since I last used it. How do I start a "thread" and is that like a personal "facebook" kind of page within the forum? How is that different from starting a "new topic" like I just did?

As you remember, I have LOTS of pictures......

[Robert Lees]

Hi Jon, welcome back home! (starting a "thread" is exactly the same as "topic"....just vocabulary in the software!)

Jon & I go back a long time: https://www.taylorcraft.org.uk/Osh2001frames.htm

Here's some photos of our five-ship at Jon's airpark in Florida in 2017:

[Hank Jarrett]

Jon, you picture link is broken. I miss all your comments and it sure is great to have you back. Are you in the Face Book group too? I think most of us are in both but a few refuse to use one or the other. I was supposed to go to AirVenture last year since my 41 was one of the planes at the first Oshkosh. They had free admission and camping all set up for me. Even had a reserved spot at the main gate! Engine problem and weather so I didn't make it. ;-(
Next year is supposed to be the anniversary of the BC12-D and I am REALLY hoping to make that one. My 45 is one of the two post war prototypes. It won't be ready to fly (unless a miracle happens) but I am working on getting a large trailer and taking her up "Nekid" so people can see what the internals look like. At least I won't have to worry about sleeping in the FBO at some small airport from being weathered in!

We need to reconnect!!!!

Hank

[M Towsley]

Wow, welcome back and good to have you here Jon. Best of luck with your projects.

[CaptainJon]

Thanks Mike and Marty and Marty!

[CaptainJon]

ooops..... only one Marty, sorry.... still getting used to this message system.......

[Scott]

Welcome,
when I built my wings, I did them simultaneously up until the point where they needed to be on the rotisserie. I only built one rotisserie because I could only fit one wing at a time in the paint booth. There is some time savings to be had when you can transfer knowledge and practice from one assembly to another, but there are logistics, like rotisseries, space in the hangar, work benches, sawhorses etc. You'll also need to keep a close watch on what bits belong to which airplane! Two dismantled aircraft take up a surprising amount of space.

there's also your sanity to consider! I almost lost mine stripping and cleaning ribs for one Taylorcraft, two really would be an odyssey. If you can hang on to it though, and stay organized, I think there are some significant efficiencies to be gained.

best of luck
S

[CaptainJon]

Scot

Thanks for the encouragement.

Just having unpacked Terri, I already see efficiencies being able to compare side by side, the two planes. I have the space. The hangar was originally sized to fit 4 T-Crafts (yes,little cardboard cutouts of BC12-D's and graph paper.....) . Back in '05 my neighbors advised me to build it bigger than I ever thought I might need, just in case. The main hangar is 60' X 60' and continues over an additional 20 feet as shop and apartment, separated by a steel wall with a big roll up door going into the shop area. Since we moved here in '06 the hangar has filled with cars,boats, trailers, a spray booth, and 3 T-Crafts. The "shop" still has lots of household goods left over from our downsizing, which need to be gone through and cleaned out to reclaim my shop. That's the first step, reclaim the shop and move the projects in.

To help with the monotonous cleanup, I am getting a nice blasting cabinet and trying out some plastic media (and glass beads). Always kind of enjoyed using a cabinet, putting in what looks like a piece of junk and taking back out a freshly cleaned up piece, ready for further restoration.

I am making dollies for the fuselages so I can push them around and more benches on wheels. I have a rotisserie and a wing rack. My neighbor has another I can borrow.

Any hints for better/easier rib/little pieces cleanup would be appreciated.............. one wing is apart and someone did a nice cleanup of the ribs and then labeled each one carefully. Only three sets of wing ribs to go!....... and drag wires and brackets and ,,,,,,,,,,,,,

So, lots of work, but it's going to happen. Just got back for lunch after talking with two of my neighbors about the project. Everyone is very supportive here and they have lots of skills. It's going to be fun!

Cheers,

Jon

[CaptainJon]

Anybody out there with another '51 Model 19? I see only 16 still on the FAA registry............ anyone know how many 19's were originally made? ...... guess I should read Chet's book again..... been a while.....

Cheers,

Jon

[astjp2]

Well we want build pics and take and look over the tech documents section, I have posted about 100 updates for current info on some systems. Tim

[CaptainJon]

Thanks, Tim!

Lots for me to digest here........ and I still don't really know my way around, like, am I posting in the correct "thread".... whatever that means...........

OK, build pictures........ where do they go? Here or somewhere else. I'd like to do something like a running blog of the whole process, throwing out questions, getting answers, posting pictures of problems, and progress, etc. Where do I do that sort of thing?
I haven't ventured to the tech document section yet......... sounds like another rabbit hole and it's already 0130.........

Here's a starter picture.....

Cheers,

Jon