Warbird Information Exchange

Greetings fellow aircraft fans.
Since My Auster can trace its lineage back to the US designed Taylorcraft I'm sure someone on here will be interested in my project.
Built in 1951 the J5F was a short winged version of the breed and with a different wider fuselage (but only the wooden stringer were set out wider from the fuselage, the actual steel fuselage frame didn't change.) and was aerobatic
She was operated in my local province, Canterbury, for most of her flying career until her demise in a forced landing in 1965. Powered by a Gipsy major only about 70 of these were built.
This is her (ZK-BBZ) taken in the 1960s while with her first Canterbury owner the Canterbury Aero Club. (Coincidentally who I learned to fly with) This is the colour scheme I plan to restore her in, red and white fuselage with white wings.


As you can see I have a wee bit to do before the first flight:


Wings in their stand and parts from about 3 Austers in my hangar!


The previous owner did all the hard work getting the fuselage repaired and painted and the woodwork done.


Still a long way to go!

Just a hint, don't cover the parts with plastic after you have fabric on them. While I don't know about the blue "Katrina" plastic I do know that if you use thin "mil" plastic the color dopes will not stick. Better to let them get dusty and wash off the dirt than fight the chemical reaction of the plastic.

Very nice! I was flying in a US Taylorcraft today...

Ryan

And blue Katrina tarps with UV damage will start leaving little bits of crumbly trash all over everything.

I've got a J5B in about the same state....

Obergrafeter wrote:Just a hint, don't cover the parts with plastic after you have fabric on them. While I don't know about the blue "Katrina" plastic I do know that if you use thin "mil" plastic the color dopes will not stick. Better to let them get dusty and wash off the dirt than fight the chemical reaction of the plastic.

Thanks for that.

Old bedsheets work well to keep the dust off....

AvroAvian wrote:Old bedsheets work well to keep the dust off....

Yes I noticed the chap in the hangar next to mine uses those might have to slip some out of the cupboard ha ha.
Where abouts are you AvroAvian? Are you rebuilding your Auster?

I'm based in Brisbane, Australia, quietly sweating as I write this. My poor Auster's rebuild has been on the back burner for a while, but I really need to make a move on it this year, as I desperately need the space. Time, money, family, etc, willing of course....

AvroAvian wrote:I'm based in Brisbane, Australia, quietly sweating as I write this. My poor Auster's rebuild has been on the back burner for a while, but I really need to make a move on it this year, as I desperately need the space. Time, money, family, etc, willing of course....

Let me know if you need any bits as I got a lot of parts with the project. Here's the thread on Wings over New Zealand forum:
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?bo ... read=13929

A good rudder would be nice, as mine is rather "sexually distressed" with rust.

AvroAvian wrote:A good rudder would be nice, as mine is rather "sexually distressed" with rust.

Ha ha I love that. A lot of my parts have been "sexually distressed" but hopefully not beyond use!
Here's a couple of photos of my stash being treated with some CRC 66 marine to halt the rust until I can get things bead blasted.






Sorry but I think the only rudder I have is the one for my Auster! Which one do you need as i know there are a couple of different styles. I'll ask around and see if I can find you one. I'm going to look at a J5G (or was it a J5P?) for some spares recovery (its damaged) so if the rudder is good would that suit yours?

Yep, J5G rudder will work!

Small update. Not much to report. Been dealing with earthquake repairs (two winters now AND three snow storms and STILL haven't had my main heat source fixed, namely chimney so I can run my pellet fire again!)
Been busy at work too but to to do a few things on the Auster. However we have gone a bit quiet at work and due to some staff shuffling I've lost my overtime on the weekends and that has put the brakes on the project. Mainly spending large amounts but once I have my mortgage paid off (12 to 18 months away) that loss wont be a big issue.
However i did continue with a major purchase which will be a big help. This is another J5F! However this is (sadly) a wrecked one but has lots of good parts I need ,namely the starboard undercarriage leg(at LAST!) starboard wing struts and the fuel tanks. The fuselage is badly bent and broke in half between the fin and the rear canopy. She crashed back in June into trees and ended up vertical on her nose! This one has had the Gipsy replaced with a O-320 Lycoming and the nose impact bent the crankshaft(discovered upon a bulk strip.)
The owner only got bruising and a few minor cuts!
Pretty much all the control surfaces are ok (the rudder has a small hole in the fabric and thats it! Both ailerons are ok as are the elevators although one has a bend at the tip but repairable. One wing survived intact but a broke the front spar when the leading wdge hit a tree. The port wing is toast and only half of it is in one piece.
Everything in the cockpit is fine, all the instruments, seats, radio, the big upside down compass (I've got two now!) control arch and control columns and flap control lever and torque tube.
Plus all the little fittings etc to hold things in place.
Next weekend is a road trip with trailer to collect the mortal remains!


Yay the missing leg!


I also got my Gipsy Major cylinders honed to see if they are usable. They aren't and would need to be machined to an oversize:




However my good mate rebuilding a T7 Auster has a good spares holding of Gipsy majors so has given me 4 cylinders complete with pistons (which have only run 400 hours)
Have to go for now as tea is ready!

New to this forum. Years ago did a bit of instruction in Taylorcraft products. Had some time in the
L2 also. Nice plane too. For a few years back in the 80's there was an AOP6 in Toledo Washington
don't kow what happened to it. With the Gypsy major it must be quite a performer..
Restoration projects always take a long time...Good luck!
longer than planned (a certain Aeronca Traveler comes to mind..)