wing Root Cover Strips

[VictorBravo]

I just got reminded why I hate those awful aluminum cover strips. Wrestled with one for over an hour, trying to get it installed without bending at the rear. My T-craft didn't have the little triangular piece that goes between the fuselage and trailing edge of the wing.

Even if it had the wedge shaped pieces, they have nothing to anchor their location in the fuselage strong enough so that the cover strip would pull evenly when you tighten that !(#$&*%@ screw anyway.

Has anyone made some fiberglass ones? Has anyone used dope and fabric to cover the gap? Is there any lighter, easier, or less pain in the ass way to do it?

ARRRGGGHHHH!

[Acroeric]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

I actually build a little built up wood box that attaches to the inboard rib and follows the curvature of the fuselage upper longeron. You could do the same with aluminum I would think. This area has always been a pain.

On the clipwing that little area will be faired into the fuselage.

[Jim Herpst]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

When you see a really nice Taylorcraft at an Air show always look at this area. Very few of em are done right, As nice as my old 94984 was , This area still looked like dog mess. Tom Baker? You told me once about an effective solution. Want to weigh in?

Best of luck. I know I am going to make damn sure I have some wood to screw this fairing to on the fuselage and by the root rib on mine. Thank you for the reminder.

[crispy critter]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

If memory serves me correctly I think Jason's red and white t-craft had fabric between the wing and fuslage. I was going to buy his airplane if he had been a day or so later when he picked it up. When I went up there and looked it over I noticed there was no wing root fairings, they were coverend with fabric....looked ok but there was no way to inspect the wing attach fittings.

Kevin

I just got reminded why I hate those awful aluminum cover strips. Wrestled with one for over an hour, trying to get it installed without bending at the rear. My T-craft didn't have the little triangular piece that goes between the fuselage and trailing edge of the wing.

Even if it had the wedge shaped pieces, they have nothing to anchor their location in the fuselage strong enough so that the cover strip would pull evenly when you tighten that !(#$&*%@ screw anyway.

Has anyone made some fiberglass ones? Has anyone used dope and fabric to cover the gap? Is there any lighter, easier, or less pain in the ass way to do it?

ARRRGGGHHHH!

[NC36454]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

I have flown my plane for 20 years WITHOUT those fairings. They were missing when I bought the plane and I never made a new set. I have gotten so accustomed to checking my wing attach bolts before each flight that I'd feel funny without being able to look up and see them. I have noticed no difference in flight characteristics and my plane is as fast as my friends Taylorcraft (he has every fairing known to man on his plane).

Ken

[Pearson]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

There is a guy that shows up every year at the Columbia, CA Taylorcraft Fly-In that has fabric covering this gap. He also built a fiberglass faring in place to go between the bottom of his windshield and the top of his boot cowl.

[Len Petterson]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

How can I get the sheetmetal screws to stay in the wing root fairing. The screws are sitting in the fabric or the root rip only and are constantly coming loose? I tryed blue Loktite don't work, it did not make any noticable diffrence.
Len

[crispy critter]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

Bill,
I don't know if you really want them but I have an extra set of those gap fillers(wedge shaped pieces) that go between the fuslage and wing. There in pretty good shape.
Kevin

I just got reminded why I hate those awful aluminum cover strips. Wrestled with one for over an hour, trying to get it installed without bending at the rear. My T-craft didn't have the little triangular piece that goes between the fuselage and trailing edge of the wing.

Even if it had the wedge shaped pieces, they have nothing to anchor their location in the fuselage strong enough so that the cover strip would pull evenly when you tighten that !(#$&*%@ screw anyway.

Has anyone made some fiberglass ones? Has anyone used dope and fabric to cover the gap? Is there any lighter, easier, or less pain in the ass way to do it?

ARRRGGGHHHH!

[VictorBravo]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

Thanks for all the replies guys!

I finally got mine back on and looking OK... well OK by MY standards not Tom Baker's standards I forgot to put in supports inside the fuselage for the fairing strip. I could go back and do it later, but for now it's time to fly.

Using a strip of aircraft fabric sure seems to be the way to go. It would save five pounds of aluminum and hardware, not leak air or water, and look good if done right. Two little squares of aluminum over the attach bolts, taped in place with waterproof tape ( 3M brand Blanderm surgical tape works perfectly) would allow annual inspection.

One of the things I'd like to do eventually is make up Kevlar or light composite fairings. They can be held in place with safety wire insteaad of those god-awful screw thingies.

Whoever is flying totally without the fairings... you are flying less efficiently than you could be. I don't care if your T-craft is faster than someone else's, if you put the fairings on you will be a few miles an hour faster yet. More importantly your airplane will not have air leaks, it will be quieter, and climb better.

Not having the fairing on puts two big dips in your "elliptical lift distribution" curve. Just because your hot-rod Ford is faster than your neighbor's hot-rod Chevy doesn't mean you should be driving with your parking brake on!

[M Towsley]

Re: wing Root Cover Strips

Bill,

I knew it was you that suggested the Blenderm tape when I was having trouble with the seal around the door. I did as you suggested, Blenderm over the foam tape I had, and it hasn't moved a bit. I ended up buying a six pack through the internet, no one around had the wide variety. Thanks again!