Strut Cuffs

[Larry Lyons]

Nice pic Tom. I have a question, I notice most aircraft have the landing gear fairing like yours but very few have the cuff/fairing around the struts at the wing. Are they standard or does it take some paper work to attach? I have one for a pattern from Rob to use someday. Larry

[Tom G]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

Thanks Larry, I'm really not sure, mine never had any cuffs around any of the strut attachments and its been in my family since the mid sixties.

[lfries]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

I have the fairings at the wing. No paperwork in my records.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

They aren't hard to make if you have a pattern to start with. The pattern WON'T FIT, but with some cardboard (a LOT of cardboard) and some careful trimming you can make a set that fits great. Then just transfer the cardboard shape to some aluminum flashing and you are in business. One thing that is IMPORTANT is to be sure to put a rubber edge over the metal where it is against the fabric. The edge of the aluminum will cut the fabric from the vibration!
I am going to work with Ray to make him a set and we should have another set of patterns in a few weeks. Each different strut size and cross section shape changes the shape of the pattern completely. You will need a LOT of cardboard and a bit of beer to get them to look right, but it is fun.
Hank

[mikeg]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

Nice pic Tom. I have a question, I notice most aircraft have the landing gear fairing like yours but very few have the cuff/fairing around the struts at the wing. Are they standard or does it take some paper work to attach? I have one for a pattern from Rob to use someday. Larry

Larry,
The strut cuffs were standard on my '41 DeLuxe (BC12-65). The photo of my Dad's '39 BL-50 taken in 1940 does not have cuffs. My only two data points.
Mikeg
NC29804

[wmfife]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

My '41 also has the strut cuffs and I have to say the rubber coaming around the edges are made of some tough material. May be synthetic but it's textured, some 1/2" to 5/8" wide and looks pretty much bulletproof. Beware of anything else, as softer types can wear out easily. This may not be original but has been on there quite some time and is getting just slightly brittle.

Hank, regarding door materials my '41 has the plywood ones. Am pretty sure when the company re-tooled after the War some technology acquired during the contract period went into effect on the new doors. Isn't this right? I don't have exact dates but whenever the D went into production unless some of the very last Deluxes incorporated the new designs. Could be. All I have on that.

-At least the aluminum doors weren't prone to warping. I need to know how to get a warp out of mine on the pilot's side. (Steam-? Remove the covering first?)

[partyofone]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I have a set of patterns for both the pre-war and post-war struts. My dad used them when he was restoring. I can trace them for anyone that's interested.

Erik

PM if interested.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Best of 2010 Taylorcraft photos

My '41 also has the strut cuffs and I have to say the rubber coaming around the edges are made of some tough material. May be synthetic but it's textured, some 1/2" to 5/8" wide and looks pretty much bulletproof. Beware of anything else, as softer types can wear out easily. This may not be original but has been on there quite some time and is getting just slightly brittle.

Hank, regarding door materials my '41 has the plywood ones. Am pretty sure when the company re-tooled after the War some technology acquired during the contract period went into effect on the new doors. Isn't this right? I don't have exact dates but whenever the D went into production unless some of the very last Deluxes incorporated the new designs. Could be. All I have on that.

-At least the aluminum doors weren't prone to warping. I need to know how to get a warp out of mine on the pilot's side. (Steam-? Remove the covering first?)

My 41 ser. #2540 has the steel tube, aluminum skin doors. L

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Strut Cuffs

I have a bunch of different ones for paterns. outer tracing remains same, just alter inner tracing for whatever strut you have since there are probably 4 diiferent front and rear strut dimensions

[cvavon]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Larry

my 1940 has cuffs that are made out of some kind of plastic sheet knot sure how or where they came from but look good and are very lite were on the ship when i bought it Chuck

[Ray36048]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Looks like the delux in 41 had then from the factory.

http://www.alliancememory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/taylor&CISOPTR=489&CISOBOX=1&REC=13

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Yep I saw that pic last night too. That is the only pic I have seen but looks nice. The one rob sent me is plastic and has a permanent bow in it so I have sitting on my bench with a weight slowly flattening it out so I can use it as a pattern. Been there for almost year now and I could use it if necessary but as I do not need it I will let it set some more. One thing I have learned is use this forum first with questions, I payed dearly to have Rob send me this from the UK when all I had to do was ask here and I could have had a paper pattern mailed direct instead of over seas postage!
Larry

[wmfife]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Larry mine are definitely sheet aluminum and my best bet is they're original. Mine is ser no. 2736, mfg. 4-41. Far as I know so are the struts (...and I would really like to keep them that way as I need no added weight with this Lycoming). From what I have seen of the Taylorcraft Foundation and the Chet Peek book pics, I am pretty certain all the '41 B -12 models had the streamline cuffs.

** ** **

About overseas suppliers (and subject of another thread) ... when I did a search for «Leatherette» looking for upholsery materials all the responses were located in the U.K. ...Curious. I have samples from the only manufacturer, now U.K. based, still actually using that name, including one in what looks like the Peek-described "Brown Wine Trim". Perhaps Rob knows more about this -? Basically it's just a good grade of faux leather from what I can see.

** ** **

[cvavon]

Re: Strut Cuffs

Hear is a photo of the cuffs on n26658 they are plastic

[Robert Lees]

Re: Strut Cuffs

[Thread drift]

The USA members amongst us have to remember that a lot of the early flying (and I mean a good deal earlier than the Wright Brothers) was done in Europe, and we have a good archive of technology and manufacturers who are still around using their inheritance.

Although of course most of the skills have been lost, like you we have a big "enthusiast" market for vintage trains, cars, bicycles, motorcycles, houses, horse-and-carts, etc, even before we get to mention aeroplanes!

In terms of aeronautical knowledge, Germany was probably first (from Lilliental), and later England (from Percy Pilcher et al).

Later, but not much later, engine inventors and manufacturers such as Otto and Benz came along, and a lot of the rest is history.

Step forward a hundred and more years, and you still see UK manufacturers who are the direct descendants from "the good old days", for example the wire-spoke wheel makers (read: Bruntons tailbrace wires); and other items such as mentioned by previous posters to this thread.

[/Thread drift]