Wheel Pants Step Plate

[jlevine]

Hello All

I recently purchased a 1938 Fairchild 24K and separately sourced a pair of unfinished aluminum wheel pants. Looking at other 24s at OskKosh, museums, and fly-ins, those with wheel pants have a step plate on top of each pant. They usually have a diamond pattern in them to avoid slipping. Can anyone tell me where to source an aftermarket pair, or what material to use to fabricate my own?

Jim

[Fairchild24r46a]

Jim,
A number of years back someone in the Fairchild club located the manufacturer in Buffalo New York who had the exact style diamond plate material used for various applications on the 24. If I recall correctly it had to be purchased in large sheets and perhaps even in bulk. I think a few people came together and bought some but aside from that memory I have no other recollection of who or exactly when that occurred.
Maybe someone here will remember that. Or you could undertake a search through the old Yahoo group postings that we have access to through this Fairchild club board. I think it may be possible to find information about this by doing that search. Good luck.

[jlevine]

Thanks! I get to Buffalo somewhat often. My 1938 24K was first owned there. Maybe it’s kismet.

[manfredrusche]

For the restoration of our own F-24 R46A, we had some sheets of the original material of the embossed aluminum panels made. We had to make a molding for the arched sheets on the wheel pants to bring them into the correct form.
We can offer a set of two arched sheets for the wheel pants for $240.00 or a complete set for the aircraft for: $420.00 which includes:

2 sheets for the treadplates
2 sheets for the wing struts
2 arched sheets for the wheel pants
Some sheet material for the small triangles in front of the treadplates.

Pictures are available.

Manfred

info@classicaviation.de

[jlevine]

I’ll be in touch! Airplane arrives in one week.

[manfredrusche]

Hello Jim,

sounds good. To explain: In 2018 we searched all over the world and couldn´t find the original correctly embossed aluminium sheet material.
For this reason we placed a special order with a company in UK. But we had to order at least three 98" x 49" sheets!
Still have enough material for lots of F-24´s!
Enclosing pictures of the finished panels.

Please contact us by email: info@classicaviation.de

Manfred