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My trusty Tcraft got hailed upon. Several holes in the wing, a few in the tail feathers. Lots of bullseyes letting sunlight through every inch or so all over the top surfaces. I ran it into the shop, sanded through the Urathane topcoat around the holes, and patched. The plane is flying again with several big silver blotches on the wing and tail, but that is only temporary. There is a lot of sunlight getting to the Dacron.
The insurance adjuster says that it will need a recover (typical quote ~$25000 from a shop). With $18K hull insurance, he says that if I want to keep the plane the insurance will give me $13000.
Now a new set of materials for a Stits, Sorry, Poly Fiber recover will run about $3500.
I have done some fabric work. I recovered the gear legs last year when the Struts were AD'ed. I had no trouble patching the holes from the hail (except wet-sanding through that %$#@ Urathane topcoat). I have participated in a full recover before and my EAA chapter has experience to lean on. Most important, I have a very good A&P who will oversee the work.
So it looks like this winter, I will put a lot of sweat-equity into a recover of the plane.
It is an April-1946 vintage BC12-D that has had the Gilbarti/Harrer STC applied to bring it to a BC12D-4-85. The bigger engine is nice as I am up in the mountains. Home field elevation is 7200 MSL. It has stamped ribs with wire clips rather than the older folded-T ribs. The engine is in good shape with a fresh top and runs very strong and nice. It has a .20-under crank and this will be its last overhaul. In several years (knock wood) it will get an O-200 crank and pistons, but that is not needed for this round. Full logs back to day One. Never on floats. New struts from up in Alaska last year in response to the AD. All the other work was done away from here before I acquired the plane. I bought it about 6 years ago.
The last recover was in 1991. It was done with the Stits process with some sort of Urathane for a colour coat. The pattern is White with blue leading edges and the T-Craft stripe with diamond. The Urathane top coat is the big problem for repair. I need to wet-sand through the paint to apply patches or do repairs. All the folklore about "nice to look at, awful to repair" comes to roost now.
My request is for words of wisdom and experience from all you guys. I expect that, while the plane is basically a nice sound bird, there is always a lot of little cruft that will come up once a recover is under way. I get a good chance to look at the tubing and all the fittings... I have only glanced at the spars through inspection holes... I would like to take the opportunity to upgrade a bit as I go. I figure, why not make the plane just a little bit better? It is flying (with the silver patches on the wings) So I can take my time and I can plan on this work over the winter.
So, In no particular order, (More questions will come to mind, I am sure)
Stits vs Ceconite?
How reasonable is it to re-use the existing wire fabric clips? Should I be trying to find replacements? How well does the fabric-wire-clip scheme work as opposed to rib stitching? The clips are part of the TC, and I will use them, but as I have never used them before, I am curious about how well the work.
What can I do to match original colours. It has a fairly original white/blue-stripe paint scheme. What should I look for for colours and patterns for a good original rebuild? I plan to cover in Stits Polytone, or maybe Dope. I have helped with a Ceconite process recover and could do either. Whatever I use, I intend to avoid the shiny Urathane/Automotive top coat. I want repairable. I do not have the urge to enter contests. This is a fun sport plane first and foremost although original vintage character is important.
Where might I look to find a new upper cowl and lower boot cowl? These are the extended versions for the C-85-12. The uppers are hail dented and the lower has a few dents and repaired cracks.
The plane is from the time when Taylorcraft was sliding down in 1946. The cowl uses the hardware-store trunk latches. There are no strut cuffs or tie-down rings. Where might I find a set of strut cuffs?
Is it reasonable to add some of the BC-12 Deluxe bits like the chrome trim on the cowl? Other bits to make it a bit more deluxe?
What other upgrades are nice? This is the time to consider STCs.
Brakes! I have done a tear down and re-build of the Shinns and I am comfortable working on them, but they are a high-maintenance item. Are there alternatives while I have everything apart?
Most important, what questions am I forgetting to ask???
It's a nice plane. I have the opportunity to make it a bit nicer. As the next few months of planning run along, I will probably bother everyone with lots of questions. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Skip
The insurance adjuster says that it will need a recover (typical quote ~$25000 from a shop). With $18K hull insurance, he says that if I want to keep the plane the insurance will give me $13000.
Now a new set of materials for a Stits, Sorry, Poly Fiber recover will run about $3500.
I have done some fabric work. I recovered the gear legs last year when the Struts were AD'ed. I had no trouble patching the holes from the hail (except wet-sanding through that %$#@ Urathane topcoat). I have participated in a full recover before and my EAA chapter has experience to lean on. Most important, I have a very good A&P who will oversee the work.
So it looks like this winter, I will put a lot of sweat-equity into a recover of the plane.
It is an April-1946 vintage BC12-D that has had the Gilbarti/Harrer STC applied to bring it to a BC12D-4-85. The bigger engine is nice as I am up in the mountains. Home field elevation is 7200 MSL. It has stamped ribs with wire clips rather than the older folded-T ribs. The engine is in good shape with a fresh top and runs very strong and nice. It has a .20-under crank and this will be its last overhaul. In several years (knock wood) it will get an O-200 crank and pistons, but that is not needed for this round. Full logs back to day One. Never on floats. New struts from up in Alaska last year in response to the AD. All the other work was done away from here before I acquired the plane. I bought it about 6 years ago.
The last recover was in 1991. It was done with the Stits process with some sort of Urathane for a colour coat. The pattern is White with blue leading edges and the T-Craft stripe with diamond. The Urathane top coat is the big problem for repair. I need to wet-sand through the paint to apply patches or do repairs. All the folklore about "nice to look at, awful to repair" comes to roost now.
My request is for words of wisdom and experience from all you guys. I expect that, while the plane is basically a nice sound bird, there is always a lot of little cruft that will come up once a recover is under way. I get a good chance to look at the tubing and all the fittings... I have only glanced at the spars through inspection holes... I would like to take the opportunity to upgrade a bit as I go. I figure, why not make the plane just a little bit better? It is flying (with the silver patches on the wings) So I can take my time and I can plan on this work over the winter.
So, In no particular order, (More questions will come to mind, I am sure)
Stits vs Ceconite?
How reasonable is it to re-use the existing wire fabric clips? Should I be trying to find replacements? How well does the fabric-wire-clip scheme work as opposed to rib stitching? The clips are part of the TC, and I will use them, but as I have never used them before, I am curious about how well the work.
What can I do to match original colours. It has a fairly original white/blue-stripe paint scheme. What should I look for for colours and patterns for a good original rebuild? I plan to cover in Stits Polytone, or maybe Dope. I have helped with a Ceconite process recover and could do either. Whatever I use, I intend to avoid the shiny Urathane/Automotive top coat. I want repairable. I do not have the urge to enter contests. This is a fun sport plane first and foremost although original vintage character is important.
Where might I look to find a new upper cowl and lower boot cowl? These are the extended versions for the C-85-12. The uppers are hail dented and the lower has a few dents and repaired cracks.
The plane is from the time when Taylorcraft was sliding down in 1946. The cowl uses the hardware-store trunk latches. There are no strut cuffs or tie-down rings. Where might I find a set of strut cuffs?
Is it reasonable to add some of the BC-12 Deluxe bits like the chrome trim on the cowl? Other bits to make it a bit more deluxe?
What other upgrades are nice? This is the time to consider STCs.
Brakes! I have done a tear down and re-build of the Shinns and I am comfortable working on them, but they are a high-maintenance item. Are there alternatives while I have everything apart?
Most important, what questions am I forgetting to ask???
It's a nice plane. I have the opportunity to make it a bit nicer. As the next few months of planning run along, I will probably bother everyone with lots of questions. Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Skip
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