Fabric covering on bottom of BC-12D by landing gear

[Bruce Caldwell]

Hey friends, does anybody have pics of how the fabric is done around the landing gear? Also, are there aluminum fairings or panels there as well?

[Hank Jarrett]

Fabric wraps around the longerons just like everywhere else with the lugs going through the fabric. The gap between the gear and fuselage is covered by an aluminum fairing held in with machine screws. I added a small cover behind the step and struts to make it easy to get in and clean that corner lots of junk falls into from the gap next to the seat sling. It also lets you inspect for corrosion in that critical weld cluster on annuals. Not sure if this is the area yo are talking about. If so, a pattern is out here for the fairings.

[Bruce Caldwell]

That helps a lot but I was also wondering what goes on underneath. Thanks Hank!!!

[Robert Lees]

Do these help?

[3Dreaming]

I will add that if it is a pre war airplane the triangle shaped piece ahead of the landing gear might be a fabric covered wooden structure.

[Bruce Caldwell]

Exactly what I needed. Thanks guys! So, going forward of the fabric underneath, is there an aluminum skin from there to the boot cowl? And this is a 46 BC-12D

[Hank Jarrett]

It "COULD" depend on when your plane was built and what was in he supply line when they assembled her. I have seen several different ways to cover the belly that just didn't seem to go with the N number or plane type. Taylor was FRUGAL to a fault. The factory would use parts till they were used up and sometimes a major assembly would be pulled from the line and then put back in after a problem was fixed. Serial numbers on major components may NOT match the planes serial number and sometimes an older part would show up in a corner of the factory and I doubt they would have any problem with putting it on a later plane.
If someone claims your plane is "modified" or that you are using parts that were not used on your plane they probably don't know Taylorcrafts! Only thing that ever raised my eyebrows was a later post war part showing up on a pre war plane when the part didn't exist yet. "D" windows from a BC12-D on a pre war would be a good example. The frames and window shape changed after the war. Same for wrong doors. None of the pre war planes had sheet metal doors, but some post war planes had wood or steel tube doors.
"ORIGINAL" is just a state of mind in the Taylorcraft world.

Hank

[3Dreaming]

Exactly what I needed. Thanks guys! So, going forward of the fabric underneath, is there an aluminum skin from there to the boot cowl? And this is a 46 BC-12D

More thqan likely a triangle shaped aluminum panel.

[Robert Lees]

Like this:



It has a lip on the forward edge and on the diagonals to help stiffen it.

[Bruce Caldwell]

You guys are incredible!!! Thank you so much!

[Scott]

Here's what the centre panel looks like on the topside:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFFZz2uSB7k/VasPzHa_OuI/AAAAAAAABpE/RAWLE_FSTQY/s1600/DSCN3557.JPG

[Bruce Caldwell]

Thanks Scott! That's perfect!!!