African Taylorcraft Restoration

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Guys,

Hear, hear! Thanks to all once again.

Charles

[Forrest Barber]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Bob and I are happy you are happy. I am leaving for Sun-N-Fun tomorrow, did not get the CD copying issue fully resolved. This is #1 on agenda when I return, I will also check records here; this export stuff back then was done several ways.

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Forrest,

Many thanks, waiting in anticipation.

Was rummaging around in the garage this weekend (making space = general clean up) and found a bunch of stuff in the ali baggage box that was obscured by the protective blanket we used to transport the frame. Wahoo , found an H-Frame, rudder pedals, a control shaft, some pulleys, various nuts and bolts and the control shaft universals. Have also heard about another possible set of wings and am following that lead up as well.

Best Regards,
Charles

[Larry Lyons]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Isn't it nice to know you are only $20,000 and 2000 hrs. away from have a very nice plane!
Larry

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Larry,

It's a sobering thought, but then it's worth it. I've had so much pleasure from aviation and the great people involved with it.

Best Regards,
Charles

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Hi Guys,

Paid a visit today to the Krugersdorp airfield, home of Mike spence to look for T-Craft bits. Talk about organised chaos. They're busy cleaning out the very large storeroom and I managed to find a T-Craft right hand door - a step forward. He's going to put all T-Craft bits he finds on one side for me. Hopefully in "two weeks" we'll have some idea of what we will have to source elsewhere.

Will post photos asap. BTW his hangars are home to 3 Tiger Moths, one auster, one J3 Cub and a motor glider (all in flying condition). There were various other hulks in the storeroom including another T-Craft fuselage in the rafters - no wings though.

Best Regards,
Charles

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Tribe,

I may be able to purchase a pair of Auster wings for my project ex S.A.A.F. museum. Unfortunately I do not know what model they are but my fuselage is apparently a BF model (SN: 9762), my burning question is - would they fit? If so what struts would I use, Auster or Taylorcraft?

Rob, Forrest, any input here.....

I've also found a used Maule tailwheel (model SFSA-1-2) am now looking for leaf springs as well as brakes and wheels. Hopefully I will be able to visit Krugersdorp airfield this weekend and see if there are any more Taylorcraft parts squirrelled away in Mike Spence's storeroom (especially a left side door).

Regards,
Charles the Flee.....

[Robert Lees]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

I doubt they would fit...but I am not 100 percent sure if any of the very early Auster wings were "interchangeable".

What might be useful is some of the components. We have several Auster wings here in various states of decay/repair, and some of the components (ribs, jury struts, ailerons, bracketry etc) look very similar. Certainly the aerofoil section is the same.

If for example you were able to just bolt them on, you might find you have a very heavy wing.

Can I suggest you measure the spar thickness; this will give some indication.

Also, get some detailed photos of the wing root fittings, with accurate dimensions (use a micrometer or digital vernier), and also those of the strut fittings on the underside of the wing.

Make a note of any serial numbers (Auster generally used a little metal plate riveted on to the nearest structure). Auster struts have these near where they join the wing. These might give some indication of the age. Funnily, I think the struts would be interchangeable if the spars are the same thickness (unless they're from an clip-wing Auster).

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Rob,

Many thanks, I'll follow up on that just in case they do. I was unsure at first but will most probably give them a miss now. I'd prefer to have a new pair anyway and have "psyched" myself up to that. My main problem is where to source fittings (compression struts, drag wires, aileron brackets, bellcranks , hinges etc. etc. Any ideas??

Charles

[Robert Lees]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

That pair of Auster wings might be your source for all of the above...if you can determine the spar thicknesses (and hence spacing...and hence compression strut length, etc). If dimensionally the same as a 1946 Taylorcraft, then all you would need is the wing root fittings (and perhaps the spar/strut fittings).

Can you contact the museum to find the year/model number of the Auster from which the wings came?

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Rob,

Thanks, I will do so tomorrow and let you know. That would be great for the hardware. If possible I'll go out on Saturday and take pics and post them. Many, many thanks for the help. Signing off for now, have a tough day at the office tomorrow.

Best regards,
Charles

[bashibazouk]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Charles--

It sounds like you're on your way to getting an airplane put together. Keep the updates coming.

You're a brave man to be tackling a project like this, but I'm sure the rewards will make it worthwhile. I can only imagine the scenery you're going to enjoy at 1,000 ft/300 meters!!

Josh

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Josh,

Thanks for all the good thoughts. I was working AFIS at Grand Central (FAGC) Aerodrome in my younger days when I first met a Taylorcraft. She was ZS-BLX, looked very forlorn. Covered in dust, with a flat tyre and a "For sale" notice. I fell in love with the TCraft there and then. Just love the fuselage shape and those long wings, not stubby like the Cub and Vagabond at all. Never had a ride in one but am bursting with enthusiasm to get my TCraft up among the clouds....

It seems as though things are coming together slowly, I'd love it to happen faster but you can't rush these things. Hopefully I'll have some more news after this weekends foraging trips. Pics will follow.

Best wishes,
Charles

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Gentlemen,

Does anyone have a drawing of the straight axle? I'm trying to find out what Grove products will fit. Thanks in advance.

Charles

[CFLEEPIO]

Re: African Taylorcraft Restoration

Hi Guys,

I've been trolling around the internet looking for donor TCraft bits and pieces since my last post. By chance I contacted a local SA company which ships US sourced airframes back to South Africa in the vain hope that they might have come across something I could use i.e. a derelect airframe with wings. A couple of weeks ago I got a phone call from them about a partly restored airframe for sale at $5000. Well tribe I have bought her and will let you have all the details when I can. So far all I know is that the gentleman restoring her wanted to get rid of the lot (unhappy or getting too old?). Anyhow here are a few pics. The engine I did not get a pic of ,A-65 but it apparently looks like new. All logs and papers are with the plane.

A happy and contented,
Charles