PT-23 Restoration

[wacoykc]

First step is to strip fuselage bare and then get it sandblasted. That will show a few things. Then you can take an ice pick and go over the tubing and see if it punches through. Another way to check this is with a torch. Run the flame over the tubing and if thin it will burn a hole and there is your answer. Start with the tail post section and work forward, concentrating on the lower longerons first. Those are always the first areas to go. I had a friend just go through that with a FLYING airplane....a Great Lakes from about 1980. It needed recover but once uncovered, started finding more things. Decided to strip the fuselage bare and start over. Got it sandblasted and they started seeing pin holes in the lower longerons. Needless to say, about 70% of the fuselage is junk!

[N3Njeff]

Question for you PTers...............Is there fabric over the wood wings on the PT????? My friend has some wings that have it but we are seeing airplanes out there that dont..........?

[bdk]

Not a PT'er, but yes, there should be fabric over the wood to seal it from the environment.

[Steven M. Dennis]

Jeff,

Brandon is correct. I don't think you will find a restorer out there that will build up a PT without covering the woodwork in fabric.

My understanding is that they originally came from the factory uncovered until they started operating in Canada during the war and it was decided that they would stand up to the environment a lot better with fabric covering. I think when Fleet started building them they all came from the factory covered.

I have never seen one operating without covering on the woodwork, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any.

Steve

[Mike Kelly]

The Fairchild PT wood assemblies (wings,center section,stabilizers, bagage compartment/turtle deck,and flaps ) had a cream colored filler on them which gave them a smooth surface. Then two coats of enamel paint. I did work on a wing several years ago that was made for Howard Aircraft by McKee Door Company in Chigago,IL. Howard made PT-19 and 23's also! It had never been on a plane and had fabric on it. Not much dope on the fabric though. The Fleet build PT's in Canada used fabric on the wood.

Fabric is the way to go if you are restoring any wooden airplane. It finishes off really nice and helps to protect the wood skins from the weather. The problem with the filler is that in time,it cracks open to the wood and allows moisture to get to the wood. These cracks go with the grain of the wood. These planes were only entended to last about 4 years so the filler/enamel finish worked fine at the time. The plane is built to last but back then they figured the War would be over in about 4 years and they wouldn't be needed anymore. Mike Kelly. Fairchild Club Keep 'Em Flying!

[M-62A]

"Both plates have S/N 1563 AE"

The fourth digit in an Aeronca construction number like this indicates the aircraft was built in 1943.

1563AE was a PT-23, USAAF serial no. 42-47507.

42-47507 was received by the AAF on February 20, 1943 and delivered initially to Maxwell Field two days later. The record card appears to indicate 42-47507 was assigned to Giradeau on June 1, 1943 (73rd Army Air Force Flying Training Detachment, operated by the Missouri School of Aeronautics, Inc., Cape Giradeau, MO). Transferred to the Reconstruction Finance Coporation for storage and surplus sale on September 2, 1944.

Subsequently registered NC52860

Hope this helps.
Best wishes with the restoration, Tony

[N3Njeff]

Was on my way home from work and had seen the U-haul truck in my friends yard. I slammed on the brakes to pull in. I got there to find 5 sets of wings and a centersection. The Fairchild PT numbers are increasing here in VT!!!

[N3Njeff]

These are older pics. I will get back and take some new ones as the numbers are increasing!!! It is truly becoming fairchild north.