Stringer Q's

[Helicopter D]

I know I've been asking a lot of questions lately but please keep in mind I'm pretty much building my aircraft from pictures of your aircraft, so here we go again. My BC-12D uses the aluminum style stringers and has one long center stringer that runs the entire length of the fuselage and two shorter ones on each side of it and I've seen several pictures of aircraft that have two stringers that run the entire side of the fuselage. Is there an advantage of using the two full length stringers? Thanks.

[Guest]

Re: Stringer Q's

Dustin,

A picture will help.

I don't follow what you are describing. Is it top, side, bottom...

Dave

[cvavon]

Re: Stringer Q's

Dustin i have a photo of a 1946 that shows the stringers it has one long one and two short ones that are top and bottom of the long on the side also there are two long ones that run from front to back on the top and bottom of the fuselage now to answer your question about two long ones on the side my 1940 pre war has two long and one short ones on the side but they are wood and it also has two top and bottom hope this is not to confusing chuck

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Stringer Q's

Different year planes had different configurations. The SN of you fuselage will help to identify which year it was built in as will the location of the tabs (if yours had them) to support the stringers. If you have the tabs you will know it from all the torn cloths and cuts you get when you walk past the plane just a bit too close while the stringers are not in place.
I doubt there is a measurable performance difference between configurations and if you have the tabs just use that configuration. IT is WAY too much work to change it. If you DON'T have the tabs then your stringers could have been held in place by springs, wires or fabric tapes. The big thing is to get them straight. The number of stringers isn't nearly as important as getting them straight. They look REALLY bad when they are crooked. Once we know which type your fuselage had some of us can get you dimensions for where they go.

Hank

[TimHicks]

Re: Stringer Q's

My '46 BC-12D sn 9172

[Ryan]

Re: Stringer Q's

I had an old factory letter (copy) around somewhere that listed the date they changed to metal stringers. IIRC it was May of 46. This was the change from wood door frames, wood stringers, wood trim tab, floorboards, and the triangle under the gear and maybe a few other things to metal. It also listed a change to the magnesium control yoke from the pretzal style. I believe it had a serial number these changes started with. I will try to find it and post.