My Taylorcraft restoration project,  G-BREY
Page 8, March 2006 - present
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by Robert Lees

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Feb and March 2006:  

brey-final-assy4.jpg (66761 bytes) I have got as far as I can without assembling the wings onto the fuselage, so after collecting the fuselage from my house... brey-final-assy5.jpg (60002 bytes) ...and the wings from storage...
brey-final-assy3.jpg (48209 bytes) ..they are delivered to the airport for assembly.
brey-final-assy2.jpg (49249 bytes) New bungees are installed... brey-final-assy1.jpg (54171 bytes) ...and she can sit on her own legs at last.
brey-final-assy6.jpg (47625 bytes) I now have an empty workshop!
brey-final-assy7.jpg (44644 bytes) With the wings on, I can fabricate the fuel lines from the wing tanks to the fuselage header tank.
brey-final-assy8.jpg (41081 bytes) Tailfeathers go on.  I had a friend make up some Taylorcraft logos for the tail to match the colour.
Aileron21.jpg (539736 bytes) The aileron hinges are bolted on ready for hanging.
H-frame2.jpg (41112 bytes) The H-frame is assembled up (this photo shows bump-stops attached to the fuselage frame).
cowl33.jpg (40886 bytes) To nail the boot cowl to the door frame, I protect the painted surfaces with masking tape to eliminate ham-fisted hammer marks.

April & May 2006

Getting-there10.jpg (64827 bytes) Getting-there12.jpg (78223 bytes) The new interior goes in.
Getting-there1.jpg (59301 bytes) Getting-there3.jpg (52958 bytes) Getting-there4.jpg (45030 bytes) Things are starting to come together now.
Getting-there2.jpg (50511 bytes) Getting-there7.jpg (60852 bytes) Getting-there6.jpg (64409 bytes) Borrowed scales are used to do the weight & balance.  Empty weight comes out at 814lb, about 14lb less than before.   But I have added an extra wing tank plus skylight & leather upholstery, so I am pleased.
Getting-there5.jpg (64953 bytes) Prior to the first engine run, I hold up the tail while John injects oil into the oil temperature bulb housing, to prime the pump...
Getting-there8.jpg (59342 bytes) ...and it starts first swing!

 

Getting-there11.jpg (71423 bytes) A surprising number of fairings still need to be made, however.  Here, the original wing root covers are being painted, along with new fairings for the skylight and the screen door pillars.

31 May 2006

flying1.jpg (91024 bytes) flying3.jpg (15800 bytes) flying2.jpg (26624 bytes) She flies after 4 1/2 years under a permit to test.
A great feeling!

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A tally of my hours spent restoring is available here
Other restoration photos
Nosebowl Grille fitting problems.
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