BL65 Warbird NOT Warbug

[taylorcraftbc65]

Hey guys, last night, my friend Jim and I were surfing the web, and we found a site dedicated to the planes of the Israeli Air Force. The site is https://www.geocities.com/CapeCanave...2848/light.htm
The first page of the site describes the first airplane that the forerunner of the Israeli Air Force received, before there was even a State of Israel before the second world war. That plane was a Taylorcraft model A. Several years later the Israelis accuired two BL 65s. They were constantly shuffled around between paper "owners" until after the war. ( Gee that sounds a lot like what "Evergreen Aviation" does today ). During the first Israeli war of independance, the two BL 65s were usually used for logistics, and spotting. But on one day, there was a target that apparently couldn't wait. A lone BL65 took off loaded to the gills with explosives that were dropped on the Palistinian war camp, spreading much grief, and discontent. THEREFORE War BIRD.
Isn't it great what you can find on the internet when you are not even looking for it? Sabrina

[Chet Peek]

SABRINA, TRIED TO GET THE MATERIAL ON THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE BL-65'S BUT COULDN'T MAKE IT COME UP. COULD YOU POSSIBLY EITHER E-MAIL IT TO ME, OR POST MAIL. IF THERE IS ANOTHER EDITION TO THE TAYLORCRAFT STORY, I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE IT.
THE PLANES ARE ON PAGE 58 OF THE BOOK, BUT I HAD NO IDENTIFICATION AND CALLED THEM MODEL A'S
THANKS,
CHET

[taylorcraftbc65]

Answer to Chet

Chet,
I'll write it out longhand tonight, and send it to you via snail mail on Monday. It's about two and a half paragraphs long, and, unfortunatley does not include the serial numbers of the three aircraft. Send me the address that you want me to mail the copy to. Sabrina

[Robert Lees]

You must share it with us all now, Sabrina.

Rob

[Dick Smith]

Taylorcraft "Order of Battle"

This page lists some aircraft, including Taylorcrafts, that were used in the early years of the Israeli effort. No numbers, but it gives some info including where they were based.

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/israel/orbat1.htm

Dick

[Robert Lees]

Ah, probably English Taylorcrafts (Model C)

The predecessor and grandfather of the Auster.

Even the Israeli's weren't perfect.

[taylorcraftbc65]

You are gonna hafta wait

I just got done for the THIRTEENTH TIME trying to load the photo I took of the story with my digital, and each time it's too big. yes, it's jpeg. it's also white charecters on a black background. BOTH my printer AND scanner died last week. I have to go to LaGrange in about ten days, and the only vehicle that works is a one ton dualie that gets 10 miles to the gallon. It's 500 plus miles one way from El Paso, so replacing the printer or scanner is out this month. I'm going to load the page photos on a CDR, and mail it to Chet. If he can get it on the site, more power to him, this is the LAST TIME I will EVER try to load a photo onto any web board, it's too aggrevating. Sabrina

[taylorcraftbc65]

Update on URL for BL65 info

I left out part of the URL for the web page. I have just edited the original post, and NOW the URL is correct. PLEASE let me know if this works. Sabrina
P.S. GULLAIR got his name because he used to own a gull wing Stinson. He's also my friend Jim that I have been telling you guys about.

[Dick Smith]

Taylorcraft Model Plus C...a real WMD!

Ran across this picture of one of the Taylorcraft models under discussion:

http://www.austerclub.com/taylorcraft/Model_PlusC.htm

Dick

[Chet Peek]

Sabrina, my address is:
Chet Peek
1861 Danfield Dr
Norman, OK 73072

The planes pictured are probably early Austers, which were almost identical to the BL-65. Unless you had a close-up of the wheels and tires, you couldn't tell the difference. I'll try to find the original photo, (deep in the files) and see if I can learn more.
Thank you very much for your interest.

Chet

[Dick Smith]

Israeli use of Taylorcrafts

This link is re: the earliest use of a Taylorcraft in the Israeli conflict:

http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/FlightLog/FlightLog.aspx?lang=EN&lobbyID=40&folderID=48&subfolderID=318&docfolderID=333&docID=20709&docType=EVENT

This additional link further traces the use of Taylorcrafts in Israeli history.

http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/Aircraft/Aircraft.IN.aspx?lang=EN&lobbyID=69&folderID=79&docfolderID=188&docID=18215&currentPageNumber=0

Give these links a few seconds to open to the desired page, as they will scroll through a couple of gyrations until they land on the item with the desired info. You can move back and forth from there to other pages on the site. Dick

[Forrest Barber]

That picture is a "D" L not a "B" L . It is indeed a tandem ship and may explain where two of the first ser#' above 4000 got to way back then. I will research the test pilot logs to see what I can find... hmmmm neat stuff to research..