AOP
In Remembrance 2023
46 Cub brought this up on another thread. I just checked the 1943 films by Penn State shot at Lock Haven showing the assembly process and the floorboards are shown being installed unpainted with no pedals attached and the cables being run and connected before any fabric is on the airframe at all, and they specifically state that the floorboards and control cables are installed before the fabric is applied because it is easier that way. If that is true, the interior covering could be installed after the floorboards by tucking the bottom edge of the fabric around the lower longeron on the outside. At least as far as the floorboard extends. Then the bottom and exterior fabric would go on top of it. You 'd have to slit the interior fabric up to the longeron in a couple of places to make it work. I imagine some kind of reinforcing patch could be glued on the top of the slits to keep them from tearing when the fabric is tightened.
I received this from Dave Henderson and copy his message with permission:
That is indeed the correct way to install them. I think the shear number if Cubs I have tore down and then restored. The black bottom was never for decoration, but rather the black was to cover up the overspray and mess from the installation of the floor boards in the original manner. That design allows for the floorboards to rest about a half a tube width on the lower longerons. This adds the strength needed if one was to put the full weight of the person on the floorboards. When painted the floorboards were painted right along with all the rest of the fabric. This left a heck of an ugly appearance of the bottom interior including the floorboards. Then the bottom was taped off and the famous bottom black curved area that cleaned up that bottom area. If you ever find an original set of boards scrape off the paint a little at a time and you will find the layers the same as the fabric. Tucked away in some of the thousands of pictures I have of aircraft being tore down before restoration. However, I never reinstalled the floor boards in the above manner. The reality is people do not care for ugly bottoms and would not like an over bottom. Please do not think this is a total description of the original installation of the bottom of the Cub. It. this would take 5 pages or more to describe everything. I seldom ever throw my 2 cents worth into these forums as you find yourself in battles with those that have restored on or two cubs. but I have actually seen some really decent responses to this important issue. Even the restoration of NC1776 was done with the newer and cleaner method.
I received this from Dave Henderson and copy his message with permission:
That is indeed the correct way to install them. I think the shear number if Cubs I have tore down and then restored. The black bottom was never for decoration, but rather the black was to cover up the overspray and mess from the installation of the floor boards in the original manner. That design allows for the floorboards to rest about a half a tube width on the lower longerons. This adds the strength needed if one was to put the full weight of the person on the floorboards. When painted the floorboards were painted right along with all the rest of the fabric. This left a heck of an ugly appearance of the bottom interior including the floorboards. Then the bottom was taped off and the famous bottom black curved area that cleaned up that bottom area. If you ever find an original set of boards scrape off the paint a little at a time and you will find the layers the same as the fabric. Tucked away in some of the thousands of pictures I have of aircraft being tore down before restoration. However, I never reinstalled the floor boards in the above manner. The reality is people do not care for ugly bottoms and would not like an over bottom. Please do not think this is a total description of the original installation of the bottom of the Cub. It. this would take 5 pages or more to describe everything. I seldom ever throw my 2 cents worth into these forums as you find yourself in battles with those that have restored on or two cubs. but I have actually seen some really decent responses to this important issue. Even the restoration of NC1776 was done with the newer and cleaner method.
