Classic fun

When William Piper bought him out of the company, Taylor left determined to build a better airplane. The BC–12 and its various iterations, including the popular BC–12D, were the culmination of Taylor’s better-than-a-Cub campaign. In many ways he was successful, and the Taylorcraft is a better airplane. It’s more comfortable, easier to maneuver on the ground, and there are no bad habits. And although the doors don’t open like a Cub’s, the windows do. In this modern era, Taylorcrafts are also cheaper to purchase.

 

The BC–12 came from the factory with no electrical system and a Continental A-65 engine. That means hand propping and marginal performance with two people on a hot summer day. But performance isn’t as poor as you might think, thanks to its phenomenal wing that produces slightly less lift than the Cub but makes up for it in a higher cruise speed. Later models and upgrades can be found with Continental C-85 engines, which increase runway performance.