BC open cowl

[baldeagle27]

Finally took the new camera to the airport and took some photos of the BC-50 lower cowl that I got from Howard. Thought it might be of interest to the open cowl guys. I still don't think I've ever seen a photo of a factory built open cowl BC-65, anybody?

Note that the door for gascolator access isn't hinged, it's removable.

[baldeagle27]

Re: BC open cowl

And inside:

[baldeagle27]

Re: BC open cowl

And in 1939:

Note that on the front attach points there is a Boeing fastener mounted on a traingular piece of metal that mounts behind the prop. This goes through both upper and lower halves of the cowl, which is why the lower half has one Boeing fastener and one slot.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: BC open cowl

That is a 50hp Continental, not a 65. Note the remote sump. Will still work with a 65 as the A-65-3 was an up exhaust model. I used to have a set of stacks but sold them earlier this year.

[baldeagle27]

Re: BC open cowl

That's what I said, BC-50, and I've never seen an original open cowl BC-65, but would like to.




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[Robert Lees]

Re: BC open cowl

There must be quite a few open cowl -65's in your area surely, Andrew? I would assume it would be difficult to prove if the cowls were original or not, however.

I must assume that the (then) factory either used the -50 cowl as-is, or modified it slightly for the -65?

Those are lovely photos...from whence did they come?

Rob

Rob

[Ragwing nut]

Re: BC open cowl

That's what I said, BC-50, and I've never seen an original open cowl BC-65, but would like to.




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For some reason it did not register when I read and posted, sorry. I can't find any evidence of one either.

[1938BF50]

Re: BC open cowl

Andrew,

Thanx for the EXCELLENT pics! Those will be a great asset in the future.

[Howard Wilson]

Re: BC open cowl

I'm still kicking myself for letting that one go Just noticed that it has two holes for the split exhaust.
I'm still cobbing my Lycoming cowl to fit the Continental. Starting to look like swiss cheese..........
From the searching that I've done, these cowls are rare. And no two alike.

[3Dreaming]

Re: BC open cowl

I'm still kicking myself for letting that one go Just noticed that it has two holes for the split exhaust.
I'm still cobbing my Lycoming cowl to fit the Continental. Starting to look like swiss cheese..........
From the searching that I've done, these cowls are rare. And no two alike.

Sounds like your trying to make it to difficult. I've done a Lyc. to Cont. conversion as well as a Cont. to Lyc conversion. Both were open cowling airplanes. For the Lyc to Cont conversion I used the old nose bowl with new flat stock. It was done with hand tools except for an electric shear for rough cutting. If I remember right it took less than a day to get it finished. Tom

[baldeagle27]

Re: BC open cowl

I'm still kicking myself for letting that one go Just noticed that it has two holes for the split exhaust.
I'm still cobbing my Lycoming cowl to fit the Continental. Starting to look like swiss cheese..........
From the searching that I've done, these cowls are rare. And no two alike.

I was a little worried about bringing it up......
But unless I can find a set of up-exhaust 65 cylinders it's going to need mods to fit the Continental, just like a Lycoming cowl would, so don't kick yourself too hard. I would like to go with the split stacks, maybe Luscombe ones, anybody out there done that?

There must be quite a few open cowl -65's in your area surely, Andrew? I would assume it would be difficult to prove if the cowls were original or not, however.

Rob, there are a number of those around, but I suspect that most if not all started life at BL-65s, or maybe a BC-50. What I want to see is a 1939 photo of a factory BC-65 with open cowl and down exhaust.

The original BC-50 photos above are from the alliancememory.org site.




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[barnstmr]

Re: BC open cowl

Andrew,
I did a DER approval for Kevin Mays to use Luscombe split exhaust on His Crispy Critter. It has an O-200, with long mount. But the same should work on the short mount. It had better carb heat rise than the standard heat muff and also better cabin heat. Parts are available new from Wag or Univair, but are pricey.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: BC open cowl

I am sure there is 65hp open cowl pictures in the archives. I still have a complete upstack Cont. 50 , one side of exhaust, and 4 extra cylinders. ANDREW e-mail me some time or stop by ... a few cowls too!

[midniteflyer52]

Re: BC open cowl

Happy New Year Tribe!

One of the neat things about old planes is that there is a history to them, or in this case, the bits and pieces. This cowl came from a 1938 BC 50 s/n 1051 NC21258. The plane was sold new to a dealer in Tacoma, WA. From there it went to a flying service in Boise ID. Then to an individual in Portland, OR and finally to James Davenport in Sunnyside, WA. It was with him that the end came for the little BC 50 on the night of 9/15/42. A severe gust of wind blew the plane against a hangar and totaled the plane with a little over 2000 hrs on it. Apparantly the bottom cowl and the "N" number was about all that was worth saving. A few years back, I got the cowl with the records of the plane and some other items from a fellow in Vancouver, WA. and had it shipped to me in CT. I sold it to Howard and now baldeagle has it. And the beat goes on!

Regards to all,
Glen Brodeur
Putnam,CT

[Howard Wilson]

Re: BC open cowl

Sounds like your trying to make it to difficult. I've done a Lyc. to Cont. conversion as well as a Cont. to Lyc conversion. Both were open cowling airplanes. For the Lyc to Cont conversion I used the old nose bowl with new flat stock. It was done with hand tools except for an electric shear for rough cutting. If I remember right it took less than a day to get it finished. Tom

I think I've arrived at the same juncture. Gonna try flat stock. I can guarantee it won't happen in a just day though.