Questions about "Miss Liberty"

[NC43501]

I'm working on a drawing of the Tcart Evelyn Burleson flew from Canada to Mexico, and have a couple of questions I was hoping the group might be able to answer.
1. What color is the trim on the airplane? (Assuming the base color is white)
2. What's the tail Number?
I only have this one photo to go off of, so if anyone has any other details, or knows of any distinguishing markings, it would be a huge help.
Thanks!

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Looks like a post war nose bowl (stamped grills, not cast), no "D" windows and a pre-war 4 piece windshield. Also has a pre-war "flipper" trim and pop out windows, not sliders. I can't tell from the photo if the doors are wood or tube, but they are NOT the sheet metal ones.
No "Deluxe" strut fairings and the pitot tube has been moved down on the jury struts. It also has the cast wheel pant mounts and does NOT have the stainless strip trimmed pants (they have a flange and the Taylocraft "Bird" doubler is missing on the outside of the pants). Also notice it has the old style intake tube on the engine with no filter.
It has the pre-war Pyrlene air inlet on the windscreen, round pre-war wheels and most important for your search is it has an NX number, not an NC. Should reduce the number of planes in the search.
Hank

Old photos have a TREMENDOUS amount of info in them if you are used to studying them.

[Pearson]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Hank, you forgot to mention what looks like an old Model T in the background, near the spinner. It looks like the nose bowl is missing an opening. I don't know enough about the different versions to tell what year it is from, but it sure isn't like what is on my 1946 model.

[M Towsley]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Go to this website for more info and photos. In one of them you can pretty much make out the 'n' number. Maybe 26631 which was a BL-65 before being deregistered. Definitely NX26631, you can see it on top of the wing in one of the photos.

http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?drequest=subjects+contains+Airplanes%20Tacoma%201940-1950

[skyboltone]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Photo 9 of 11
The plane was painted especially for the flight in white with red and blue stripes, a torch bearing Liberty and emblazoned with "WAD" (Women Also Defend.)

[NC43501]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Thanks guys, with all of this new information I'm nearly done with the side view. I'll post it here when I done.

[NC43501]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Here is the side view:

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Looking really good. Couple of minor items. I can get you side views of some of the different pre-war parts like the door. You have a post war sheet metal one outlined and the curve of the base of the windshield is a blown post war not a pre-war 4 piece (again. simple change). With it looking that good you might as well make it PERFECT.
I haven't seen a picture of the rudder on the original, but if it is pre-war too the contour would be slightly different. The pre-war planes had a larger rudder.
One thing that surprised me is how you got the curve of the pre-war lower cowl so well. After the war the bottom curve was flatter.
Are you by chance planning to do any other historic Taylorcrafts? How about prints of them? These would make GREAT wall art!
Hank

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

vertical is shorter on a prewar, reason for deeper rudder. the blue more than likely was insignia blue, looks alot darker than what you have in your painting. nose bowl is not continental as mentioned above. with a pressure cowl should make it 40 or 41 standard

[NC43501]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Thanks! The pictures of the side doors would be a real help. I didn't realize when I drew this the pre-war planes had different rudders. It's funny, I had "fix the windshield" down on my to-do list, but somehow managed to miss it!

I originally started these drawings specifically to print, and have formatted them a size I know is relatively easy to have printed at a photo print shop. I wanted to have more pictures on my wall of Taylorcrafts and thought well known/historic planes would be a neat project. I've actually started on a drawing of Duane Cole's Taylorcraft as well. One of my stumbling blocks is the difficulty of finding pictures of these aircraft on the internet, but you guys are a fantastic resource, and I really appreciate it.

Colors are relatively easy for me to change, due to the way I've set up the drawing in Photoshop. The versions of "Insignia Blue" I've been able to locate are a much more grey-ish blue than I expected. I've attached an example of the color. Let me know if this is what you meant, and I'll see how it looks on the plane. What do you think about the shade of red?

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

I found a couple of pictures that are pretty square on of the pre-war door and vertical tail. The fuselage in the door picture is NOT square to the camera, but the door is. Note that the small clip at the top to hold the door open is NOT supposed to be there.
The orange plane is what mine looked like when I started on her. NOT the prettiest plane in the world, but some mighty pretty bones and a GREAT flyer!
Hank

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Another really neat plane is the "Wedding plane" in Chet's book. That would make a great painting if anyone has more photos of it.
Hank

[NC43501]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Those pictures were perfect, Hank. I changed the door and side window, changed the windshield to the 4 piece type, and fixed the rudder and vert stabilizer. I also changed the blue to a shade closer to "Insignia Blue". I'm relying on you guys to tell me if that tail looks "right", as I don't have any personal experience with 'em myself. Thanks again
Here it is:

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

door window you have is deluxe. need to have square corners. you also show 3 stringers , only 2 on a standard. you also missing the pin stripe on the leading edge. her name is also on the door.

[Ryan]

Re: Questions about "Miss Liberty"

Anthony, here is a photo of the Pace plane I had mentioned. Posted here as others may have different angles. I believe there is also a photo in chet Peeks book. You may also consider checking out www.alliancememory.org. Forrest has uploaded many of his original factory photos the the Alliance library. I believe the endurance record airplane can be found there and maybe Duke Iden's wedding plane that Hank mentioned.