Lifting a BC-12D

[KewFlyer]

Need to lift a BC-12D up about 40-42 inches and place it on 55 gal barrels, so I can make room for the other plane
I have a homemade H hoist that would fit/slide around the nose [ on the right and left sides] and I was thinking of using the eye on the A-65 as a lifting place to raise the plane up [ would place a steel bar through the eye to clear the two top open cowling covers and from each end of the bar up to a pulley and then up to the cross bar pulley] . Also thought about using a lifting sling around the nose bowl, but it might not be structurally sound to support the weight (?).
Another option I thought about, is to place a steel bar thru the engine supports and from each end of the steel bar up to a pulley and from there up to another pulley on the horizontal member of the hoist.

Any suggestions on how to accomplish this task, other lifting points, .... ?

I'm sure this is not the first time that some has gone down this road... how is the plane lifted to place a set of floats? skis?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks to all

Ralph

[Dano"T"]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Takethe wing root fairings off, wrap a short cable aront the attach fittings and put a spreader bar across them with a eye at the center. This is how I list my plane to put the floats on.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

You know for a float plane (or any plane that require regular lifting) it shouldn't be that hard to make a lift fitting for both attach fittings and use a longer bolt so a lift eye was on there all the time. It would just pierce the wing root fairing and you could put a shackle through it that was on the spreader bar.
It would require approval but I would think it would be a really handy perminent lift point for the guys who need to lift their planes on a regular basis.
Fairly easy to design.
Hank

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

You could make a sling with a wide cargo strap threaded through the engine mount.

[KewFlyer]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Thanks for the ideas guys.
I also looked into a motorcycle table lift, which would be more convinient and easy to lift the plane up and down from the barrels [price $ 700 approx] with a max height of 77". That may clear the top of the vertical fin on the C-150 if the plane is lifted by the wheels.

Wheels keep on turning on this one......... any and all ideas, opinions, suggestions, comments, etc... are welcome.

Thanks for the help
Ralph

[KewFlyer]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

You could make a sling with a wide cargo strap threaded through the engine mount.

That was our first attempt. Thanks. Using a boom truck sling rated at 3,000 lbs.

The question.... Hoist or lift ?

Thanks MARK

[Robert Lees]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

You could try skyhooks. They worked on Sopwith Camels in World War I, but you might need an airship to which to attach them!

[N96337]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Stand it on it's nose like they used to! I remember Wally's Tcrafts in the back of the old hangar at Evergreen, WA...and he showed me pics of lots of them that way back in WW2.
John

[KewFlyer]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Thanks for the ideas.
We tried with the sling under the engine mount and one person lifting the tail. It worked !. Its a two person operation: one operating the boom/bucket truck and the other at the tail.
Now, the next challange is to make it easy to lift and place it on the drums and to bring it down to go flying. Also, the bucket truck is not avaialble all the time... was only there for the test and to place the plane on the barrels.

No. I can not use the hangar metal trusses, due to liability = they could be bent with the weight.... go figure.

The next step appears to be to get the homemade lift to fit on the sides of the engine & to be capable to lift the plane 40".... the one I have won't do what we need... so... any ideas ..? Someone suggested to use water pipes 3" or 4" in dia. to make the two verticals and the horizontal members joined by couplings. The two bases would be a 3'x3' piece of steel with a coupling welded at the center so the vertical members can be screwed in. Worth a try.
Stay tuned..... any ideas, suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Ralph

[Arnold Wallace]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Make a cradle for the prop to rest and tip it up on the nose. This is the safest way to stack many tail draggers in a small space. Some of the old timers in your area should recall how well it goes. Support the nose in a cradle with support near the hub and no harm will come to the prop. Most of the old cradles had casters to dolly the plane into the corner on the mains and the prop cradle. N96175

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

For what it is worth my T-Craft was stored with its tail tied up in the rafters for 33 years in an old dirt floor hanger. I have not pulled the engine down yet but it turns over as smooth as a babies bottom. Larry

[mhorowit]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Gee Ralph - you're going to so much trouble, you're not going to want to take it down to fly; it will be such a production! Has Tom taken on more tenants? Have you thought about parking her in the open? - Mike

[KewFlyer]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

I know, Mike....it's lots of work to get her up and then down to fly. I'm at Tom's airpark right now.
Will see what develops in the next few weeks...it may just be an idea that may fade away in the sunset of efforts and availability to fly her.
Thanks and take care
Ralph

[KewFlyer]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

PLAN "B":

Today we used 2 aluminum stages = planks to walk/push the plane up onto the barrels..and it worked. The next step would be to attach an electric winch to the floor, thru a pulley on the wall to an " attachment place" [ to be determined...ideas are Welcome] . The winch would pull the plane up the 20 ft long plank onto the barrels while someone holds/manouvers the tail section.
More to come.
Ralph

[mhorowit]

Re: Lifting a BC-12D

Make a cradle for the prop to rest and tip it up on the nose. This is the safest way to stack many tail draggers in a small space. Some of the old timers in your area should recall how well it goes. Support the nose in a cradle with support near the hub and no harm will come to the prop. Most of the old cradles had casters to dolly the plane into the corner on the mains and the prop cradle. N96175

How did you catch it when came time to lower it? - Mike
For that matter, how did you raise it to a nose down position? - Mike (wondering if I put the gear/wheels on if I could stand it on it's nose while doing welding)