metal Stringer madness

[Laz]

I am installing the metal stringers on my 1946 BC12D. They were not located on the sides in the same place as the wood ones. Somewhere I saw a set of photos of a Taylorcraft Factory tour in the 70's /80's in that tour they show a BC12 being restored with the metal stringers covered but not yet in silver. If anyone knows where I saw this group of photos that would help. for the record:

I have seen some metal with one long and two short on the side. some with two long and one short. Some with the short in the middle and some with the short on the top. The 70's factory parts list shows two long and one short for the metal stringers.

Any photos or drawings would be grealy appreciated.

This is driving me mad.

[VictorBravo]

Re: metal Stringer madness

MADNESS !

I believe it is actually within the restorer's discretion to use any of the original locations, so long as it does not interfere with something else.

That being said, I personally believe that the two full-length stringers, installed in such a way as to match and flow with the sweeping curves of the Taylorcraft fuselage, is by far the most attractive. The one long/one short or two short variants simply do not look right.

Since the first immutable law of aerodynamics and aero engineering on LOW-SPEED, conventional aircraft is: "If it looks right it flies right", then you can be assured that it will fly right if you put in the two long curved ones

Metal vs. wood stringers should make no difference at all, save for the fact that the metal ones are lighter.

[Pearson]

Re: metal Stringer madness

Laz

Here are some pics of the inside of a BC12D that was being restored at a nearby repair station.

The drawings I have for the Harer STC show only ONE stringer about halfway up the side that only goes about half the length of the aircraft.

[Laz]

Re: metal Stringer madness

Thanks for the pictures. As far as I can see the wood configuration is exactly how mine were set up. I just wonder whay Taylorcraft went to a different configuration with the metal ones? The wood ones were cut to fit smoothly over the tubes. The metal used wood blocks and springs to hold them in place. If I did go with the one long and two short on the side I just wanted to see if there was a standard configuration. The Harer STC does indeed only show one on the side but I have never seen a Tcaft with just one.

[crispy critter]

Re: metal Stringer madness

Here is how we installed them on Crispy simply because that's how the wooden stringers were originaly installed when the airplane joined the family in the 1950's. The bottom ones are same as the top,two long stringers(I hadn't installed them yet when these pics were taken). We are not 100% sure that's how they were originally but dad said he was almost sure it was since the airplane was only about 10 years old when if came into the family but had been recovered at least twice by the time he was old enough to be involved with it.

[M Jones]

Re: metal Stringer madness

We are not 100% sure that's how they were originally but dad said he was almost sure it was since the airplane was only about 10 years old when if came into the family but had been recovered at least twice by the time he was old enough to be involved with it.

Looking good, and looking forward to seeing those flying pics of Crispy Kevin.

[Laz]

Re: metal Stringer madness

Kevin,

Thanks so much. These were exactly the pictures I needed. Mine will only have one on the bottom but other than that I plan to set mine exactly as you did.

[crispy critter]

Re: metal Stringer madness

glad I could help.