L2 and D model common parts

[TC747paul]

I found this in a document that came with my L2M project. Aircraft Specification No A-746 dated april 3,1972 certificate holder Mr. Robert j Kuhlow. i am confused about the wing section, this section clearly states that L2 and D model wings are interchangeable. I have always been told that the wings are not interchangeable. Thoughts

[3Dreaming]

L2 and B model wings are not interchangeable.

[otrcman]

There is some lack of clarity in Type Certificate Data Sheet A-746 Note 4. Note 4 refers to "..... other Model D series airplanes." Later in the same paragraph the document refers to ".....Taylorcraft D series airplanes."

So what is a "Model" ? And what is a "series" ? As an L-2 owner, I always glossed over the words and interpreted the Note to refer to the Model DCO-65, which is the tandem airplane. The Army called the various tandems L-2 or L-2A or L-2B or L-2M".

But what about the Taylorcraft Model BC-12D ? Is it one of the ".... other Model D series airplanes." ? No, the BC-12D is certified under Type Certificate A-696.

A careful read of Type Certificate A-746 does list the Army designated models that are included under Taylorcraft Model DCO. And A-696 does list the varous Taylorcraft Models covered by that TC. So I guess the feds would argue that their documents are complete and accurate. But they're confusing just the same.

Bottom line, my understanding is that TG-6 glider wings are interchangeable onto all L-2 models. The only caveat is that TG-6 wings have spoilers, so wings from gliders can be used directly on the L-2M but must have the spoilers deactivated when used on other L-2 models.

[otrcman]

I forgot to mention the first of the tandem fuselage models, called simply "DC". Not "DCO", just "DC". That's an Army L-2. Not an L-2A, or B. Just an L-2. My understanding is that the DC had aluminum wings, not wood. Are the DC and DCO wings interchangeable ? I don't know anything about the DC model, but A-746 would have us believe that the TG-6 glider wings can be interchanged onto a Model DC. I think 3Dreaming is telling us that they are NOT, and I'll bet he's correct.

[Ragwing nut]

I'm going to assume that they are referring to DCO's, since the TG-6 conversion was after the war. That being said, they are the same as the L-2, but the L-2A/B/M use a different butt rib due to the greenhouse. They already mention the spoilers in regards to the M.

[n6346m]

Correct me if I'm wrong. The way I understand it is that the DC- 65 is the civilian tandem model that was produce prior to the war primarily for use by the government for the Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) program. They were built with an all aluminum wing except for the fabric covering of course. When the war broke out they were drafted into the army and were designated as L-2s. The L-2A,B and M were built specifically for the army and are called DCO-65. They had a mostly wood wing. It is interesting to note that all "D" series (which only contain the DC-65 and DCO-65) have wing interchangeability. That means that a pre-war DC-65 can have a wood wing if the original wings had been damaged and subsequently replaced with wood wings. In fact, the way I read it, a DC-65 aircraft could possibly have one original metal wing and one wood wing. This may explain the thread down in the "Tandem" section of this forum regarding the fact that some DC-65 owners say they have aluminum wings while others say that their aircraft had wood wings. If using a TG-6 glider you may want to add a fuel tank to it, as I don't think those gliders needed fuel.

Bob Picard
N48923 Taylorcraft L-2B
Anchor Point, Alaska

[astjp2]

I will add to the mix and stir the pot, what about the L2H?

[TC747paul]

Thanks for the info. Here is a picture of the spar splice (pre-glue) for my L2

[Bigdog]

The pre-war D models were all designated DC-65 with the "C" being the engine. Just like the B models were BC (Continental), BL (Lycoming) and BF (Franklin). The DCO-65 designation came about for civilianized L-2A/B/M's that had the Observer glass and fuselage. The other oddball L-2(X), like the L-2H mentioned were other civil Taylorcraft models impressed into service. Most were civil B models. There was an STC to convert the TG-6 to power and it specified registering it as a DC-65. The TG-6 had a civilian model designation of ST-100. To my knowledge, no civil gliders were produced. To add even more minutia, the L-2's were originally designated O-57, with the first 4 demonstrators ordered being YO-57's. I own the first of those 4 YO-57's... plus a TG-6 conversion, an L-2A and L-2B. So I've been down in the weeds with the differences.

[astjp2]

The pre-war D models were all designated DC-65 with the "C" being the engine. Just like the B models were BC (Continental), BL (Lycoming) and BF (Franklin). The DCO-65 designation came about for civilianized L-2A/B/M's that had the Observer glass and fuselage. The other oddball L-2(X), like the L-2H mentioned were other civil Taylorcraft models impressed into service. Most were civil B models. There was an STC to convert the TG-6 to power and it specified registering it as a DC-65. The TG-6 had a civilian model designation of ST-100. To my knowledge, no civil gliders were produced. To add even more minutia, the L-2's were originally designated O-57, with the first 4 demonstrators ordered being YO-57's. I own the first of those 4 YO-57's... plus a TG-6 conversion, an L-2A and L-2B. So I've been down in the weeds with the differences.

It sounds like we need to inspire you to be more active on the forum....Tim

[Edwin Otha]

I have an early DC-65 and it has aluminum ribs and spars and full span trailing edge. The landing gear has a smaller main tube than the later built aircraft. One of the DCO's I have was a converted glider and still carries the ST-100 DATA plate but registered as a DCO.

EO

[Bigdog]

It sounds like we need to inspire you to be more active on the forum....Tim

I contribute when I can but haven't gotten real active with my L-2 projects yet. I've got an RV-6 to finish and then a Rearwin before I start the L-2 assembly liine. I've done some small stuff like building a set of ribs and acquiring some missing parts.