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Hi Joey,
The S/S cover is for safety reasons, and meeting Federal regulations on
aircraft. The rules require a fire proof S/S cover between the engine
compartment and the rest of the fuselage.
The 415 was originally certified using the ERCO engine IL116, which was an
inverted, 4 cyl,
aircooled, 65 hp engine. The cowling stopped at the fire wall; thus met
safety Federal regulations. Once ERCO produced this 65 hp engine,
Then, Continental agreed to produce their 65 hp engine. It was about $500 less
expensive than the cost of producing the IL-116. So, the 415C was produced,
instead of the IL-116 version....
I understand that Only S/N 1 was produced with the IL-116 engine,
certified, and then immediately converted to the opposed, air cooled C-65. This
required a different cowling system...wider, and longer, to fit the fuselage (
the one you have now.)... The only known surviving IL-116 ERCO engine is in the
Smithsonian Air Museum. Supposedly they built parts for 8 engines; certified it,
and proved it was a very solid design, but costs were in excess of
$800/each......, and ERCO really did not want to build engines, if they could
purchase proven aircraft engines at less cost.
BUT, evidently, both ERCO and CAA overlooked the fact the cowling now
covered the top of the forward fuselage; which by regulation required it to be
Stainless Steel for fire safety reasons.
When the D model was produced, this was corrected, and was carried over to
all CD and later models. Many unsold C models were converted to the S/S cover by
the factory.
Engine size has no such requirement, it is the CAA (now FAA regs) that
require the safety standards.......which in effect says that all fuselage
structure under the cowling must be Stainless Steel or some other fireproof
material.
Fly Safe - Have Fun
Harry Francis
Elliston, VA
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