T-Craft BL65

[Ironhead]

Anyone,

Along with a purchase I made of 1946 BC12D, I found several papers and engine/aircraft logbooks to include airworthiness stickers and registrations of a BL65. Were the two compatible as far as parts? The documents that I have are definetly for two aircraft, BC12D and BL65 although I only have one airframe and engine. I will check the serial number on the engine that I have to try and figure out which engine I have. But the airframe was stripped down completely. How do I know if I have the BC12D airframe or the BL65?

Thanks
Dan

[VictorBravo]

Re: T-Craft BL65

Although the parts are interchangeable, the airplanes unfortunately have two different type certificate numbers. That being said, Mrs. Feris was kind enough to write a factory letter stating once and for all that all the B models were the same firewall aft. Using that letter, you can use BL airframe parts on the BC 99% of the time.

The only significant difference is that the pre-WW2 airplanes had an external trim tab (that doesn't do a whole lot of good) and a smaller vertical fin. Most pre-war airplanes had a four piece windshield made out of flat pieces, and the associated framework to hold it together. I'm guessing most of them have been ocnverted to the one piece windshield. The pre-war airplanes had different wing ribs, and one more rib per wing than the post-war planes.

Also, my plane was built as a BL-65 and converted to a BC-65, including a new airworthiness certificate and a new data plate saying BC-65. This might have been done to your airplane, and would explain why you have information pertaining to bbth.

THAT being said, if you use BL-65 parts on a BC-12, almost all the time I don't think anyone could tell the difference anyway, and so nobody could cause you any grief.

[Dano"T"]

Re: T-Craft BL65

I have the same thing on my pre war...it's a 1940 BL-55 converted to a BC-65 in 1958...new AW cert....The old one is in an envelope with the logs...yours is probably the same...a conversion was done and the old paperwork still existsin the records.

[3Dreaming]

Re: T-Craft BL65

I went through the engine change stuff with my old airplane as well. Unless the factory did the change those airplanes are or at least should still be BL's with a field approved Continental installation. Only the factory could have changed the type designation.I know back in the 40's and 50's when you had to renew your airworthiness every year that several of these airplane had paper work changed incorrectly.
Now back on track. Post some pictures of your parts, and maybe they can be identified as post or pre war parts.

[dedrekon]

Re: T-Craft BL65

There are differences in the airframes, although I do believe most parts are interchangeable. I have a Post-War and a Pre-War fuselage for sale on my website, dedrekon.com. If you click on either fuselage listed under Taylorcraft Parts, it will pull up a number of pictures of each and you can see the differences.....most notably to me, around the cabin area. I'm sure there are better pictures out there, but I don't know here to find them.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: T-Craft BL65

The fastest way to tell is to check for gussets on the wing attach fittings on the fuselage. If the are there, it is more than likely a postwar BC-12D fuselage. unless they have been added. The frames prewar and postwar are very different in that the early ones are mild steel and the later is 4130. There are other minor differences but I would have to look at it to tell specifically what it was.

Mike