wing tank plumbing

[Guest]

Re: wing tank plumbing

3/8" copper tube is on mine and it looks original

[3Dreaming]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Thanx Joel,

Do you have any pics of the plumbing behind the plate? I talked with my IA last night and he was not going to sign off on "hardware" valves, so I will need another Imperial valve for the LH wing tank. I am wondering how some of you have handled the plumbing between the tank outlet and the valve. I would think some Aeroquip hose would be best for vibration in this section.

What kind of valves does he think they used back then?

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

I don't have any restoration photos of that on the hard drive, so I'll go out to the hangar tomorrow and poke the camera through the headliner zipper to get some photos of the hardware between the valve and the wing tank.

[1938BF50]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Thanx Joel

[M Jones]

Re: wing tank plumbing

This discussion has gotten me thinking about my wing tank fuel valve, so I have a question for you knowledgeable people out there... Would a "push/pull" valve for a wing tank have been original at all for a prewar Taylorcraft? Mine has one, and I've got no complaints with it. I was just wondering if it would have been used originally. The friend I bought the aircraft from said he hesitated to "reuse" it when he rebuilt the plane in '95, so it came with the project, but don't know from how far back.

Don't mean to hijack your thread Mike, but it kind of applies I guess...

[1938BF50]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

I would love to see a pic of that valve. It may be original. As I contemplated what might be the SAFEST installation for a wing tank. I thought that using a valve directly out of the tank would be ideal....no nipple, no coupling, no additional plumbing. To do this the valve handle would need to be activated by a push/pull lever. What you are describing sounds exactly like what I wanted to do in the first place.

[M Jones]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

As soon as I get a chance to get to the hangar I'll get a picture of the push/pull valve. Gone to see Mom for mother's day this weekend, but next week I should have something. I was thinking that we should have the aux tank under the seat with the wobble pump, but not sure if or when the push/pull wing tanks were used.

[1938BF50]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

I think you need to just throw that valve in the plane and fly it up for me to look at.........

I stopped at Brodhead last night on the way home from looking at a a lawn tractor down in Monroe. Have you seen that nice blue & yellow BC-12D that Bill Knight restored back in the 80's? I talked with the new owner(forgot his name already) for quite a while. He landed about 10 minutes before the 40mph gusts started from the east.

[1938BF50]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

I see a newer style LH valve in the spy photo I took of your plane at Poplar Grove a couple years ago. I did not remember your ship having 2 wing tanks.

[M Jones]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike, no need for me to throw it in, it's attached! Yes, I'll bring it up and you can see it for yourself. In the meantime, I'll still get a picture taken and post it, probably later next week. You could always stop in at Harvard-Dacy and check it out too if you're close by the way.

I don't remember that BC-12D at Brodhead. I must have seen it though. I was just there on Monday evening this week myself. Last week, I flew over to Brodhead one late afternoon and stayed there until about 45 min. before sunset. It was a great evening, and I and a C-120 had the place to ourselves, landing in the grass between the pine trees on Rwy 03. Took off and got back to Dacy Airport where I was able to make a few sunset landings before I put her away.

That left wing tank doesn't get used Mike, but good eye, yes it is installed. The right tank has the push/pull valve.

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,

Photos attached of the wing tank plumbing in my BC12-D. There are no flexible sections of hose -- it's all solid metal tubing. Right angle fitting comes out of the wing tank, goes into the valve. Line comes out of the valve, goes down the door post (unattached), across underneath the panel (lashed in two places with friction tape and rib stitch cord), and into the main tank.

The under-panel photos below are looking up. In the first photo, you can see the aileron cable and the black cardboard glovebox. In the second photo, the silver control wheel shaft is at right, the main tank at lower left. In the third photo, the copper tube at center is the primer.

Do you need the various part numbers from the BC12-D parts price list?

[Edwin Otha]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Mike,
We built a set of wings for a BL a few years back and the fuel valve in one of the four wings we used had the set up you decribed. The valve was pointing inboard and the control was a short length of 3/8" steel tubing with a small ivory knob, labeled fuel.
EO

[Carl E. Carson]

Re: wing tank plumbing

My 40 BC-65 has the push pull valve on the wing tank. It was not on the plane originally but Dad had picked up one "way back" and never installed it. When we did the rebuild in '06 - '07 we put it in. I really don't know what year it was originally installed or in what model.

Carl

[Len Petterson]

Re: wing tank plumbing

A extra valve at the main tank just in case of a leak. Offcuarse it would be good "but" if you forget about it and/or kick it shut with your knee or something like it and the engine stops when it not supose too. the O-shit factor will increase again. ( I think it would not be FAA aproved as well.)

[M Jones]

Re: wing tank plumbing

Well Mike, I got a couple of pictures with my cell phone but they're not good enough to post. I took some while I was flying in turbulence so they're not good, and also a little too dark. I'll take my good camera and get a better shot next time I go out.