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Final Assembly

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No pics, yet.. but..

.. got the left horizontal stabilizer skin clecoed on to the skeleton tonight! It looks like airplane parts! :D I was surprised that it took a little bit (not a lot) of "grunt work" to get it all aligned and clecoed into place, but everything appears to be straight as an arrow.

Hey - it's minor - but it's been a learning journey thus far. :)
 
Wings are done

I finally declare the wings done. It only took 15 months. I think this qualifies as slow build. Tanya hefted her end as we hauled them upstairs where they will be stored for the rest of our build.

 
I finished my RV 8 tail kit

After 8 months off and on working on my tail kit. I finally enjoyed the finish product. Next is my wing kit.
 
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Guitar Amp

Scott I see the Amp behind the plant....Do you get to play much with the build going on? I know it seams like I don't get to play much at all


Rich
 
Scott I see the Amp behind the plant....Do you get to play much with the build going on? I know it seams like I don't get to play much at all


Rich

Yep, just to the left of that plant is a small farm of guitars. I sit there every day or two for a few minutes of personal entertainment. I sold most of my gear years ago and now only play for myself and Watson.
 
Yikes!

I assume you are married to Tanya, and that Tanya is a pilot. I can't even IMAGINE the conversation I would have with MY wife (Who loves me very much by the way.)

Her: "Um, Dear, What are those?"
Me: "Those? Those are wings dear. They help a plane to fly."
Her: "I see. But what are they doing here? Are you intending to fly the den?"
Me: "No I just needed a place to store them for a couple of years while I finish the rest of my plane."

Me: "Um, Dear, What are those?"
Her: "Those? Those are hammers dear. They are designed to reduce the bulk of things made of Aluminum so I can throw them out the window and store them in the recycle can. I just need a place to store them until Wednesday."

-Dkb


I finally declare the wings done. It only took 15 months. I think this qualifies as slow build. Tanya hefted her end as we hauled them upstairs where they will be stored for the rest of our build.

 
Yikes!

I assume you are married to Tanya, and that Tanya is a pilot. I can't even IMAGINE the conversation I would have with MY wife (Who loves me very much by the way.)
-Dkb

<chuckle> Uh, yeah. It helps that this isn't her first rodeo either. When we built the -9A, they were stored in the (small) living room within arms distance of the couch, coffee table, and TV. When it came time to buy a new house, she knew precisely the kinds of square footage we needed for the garage and house so that didn't happen again. She still declares it was totally worth it when we're on a long X/C leg at 15000', sucking on O2, A/P engaged, XM radio in the ears, eating a sandwich and some grapes, watching the ground go by. Oh, she prefers to warm her sandwich on the black glare shield for a few minutes, I like mine cold out of the cooler.
 
Wing Stands

I finally declare the wings done. It only took 15 months. I think this qualifies as slow build. Tanya hefted her end as we hauled them upstairs where they will be stored for the rest of our build.


Where did you get the plans for the nifty wing stand? Is it the one in the wing plans section of the preview plans book?
 
Where did you get the plans for the nifty wing stand? Is it the one in the wing plans section of the preview plans book?

No plans needed. 25 minutes and the nearest random scrap lumber in the "aircraft lumber" pile. It is amazing how much wood is required to build an all metal airplane.
 
HS Progress

Almost done with drilling and fitting both sides. Decided to temporarily slap them together to feed the dream a bit while I wait for the weather to warm up. Dimpling and priming is just around the corner. Truly a fun experience - even the dreaded "405 rib - to front spar/angle - to 404 rib" holes were not that difficult to do.

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you'll be amazed when you take a few photos every month...soon (soon being a very relative term) you'll have what looks like an airplane in your garage! Nice work
 
Slow but sure.





POSTSCRIPT --- NEW YEARS 2012:

Many builders cruise the VAF archives looking for ideas and how others did things. It's only fair to report back after lots of flight hours with news of how well something worked.

The above method of attaching the plenum lid needed modification. Problems in two places; first the forward ends of the aluminum side flanges for plenum lid attachment kept cracking at the 1/4" cylinder head attach screws. Second, the curved flange spanning the center between the intakes also cracked. The plenum applies a considerable air load (over 100 lbs per sq foot at high speed) to the attach flanges and it is concentrated at the span across the inlets.

So, a revision. The plenum lid got a flange between the inlets and additional material on each side above cylinders 1 and 2. Only a small part of the curved center flange remains. The major fastening in that area is now #10 screws in shear. The lid now attaches at cyls 1 and 2 using the 1/4" screws, with a clamp plate so the glass doesn't bow outward and leak in the span between them. Most of the aluminum flange in that area has been removed. I'll fly another 150 hours and see how it works.

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Dang Dan....

Your airsheen just reeks (verb (used with object) to give off; emit; exude.)
QUALITY....

(Love the camlock tabs....oh yeah)
 
I think Dan have to be expelled from the builders community..... he's not a builder, he's an artist!!!! :D
Wonderful job!!
 
Love seeing your project updates Dan. Look forward to seeing the finished product! Do you have a builders page?
 
RV8 Restoration

Hi RV8 section!
I am not the builder of this RV8, but i am restoring it for the owner.. It was taken to a "painter" with autobody experience several months ago.... I got it a couple weeks ago and began to stripped off about 9 coats of tractor supply enamel from the tail feathers, cowlings and canopy. been fixing the fiberglass messes all over it too. I should have it finished in the next couple of weeks. If ya wanna check out the progress http://www.airbornekustomz.com/RV8.html

Cheers
Painter John

PS.. DR im not talkin about Ravins this time, this one is a real RV:D
 
The "boat" begins to take place in my workshop

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Began empennage in May, wings finished awaiting for DGAC visit, and fuselage on the way..
Remyswing
RV-8
o360A3A
F/P propeller
hope installing Dynon, PMags

Paris, France
 
One of the nicest RV's on here and it doesn?t even have wings on it! Dan never hesitate to give up dates as I?m sure im not the only one that is inspired by them.

Every detail I see from your plane shows all out perfection. Except that motor looks like something you would get from a second hand lawn mower shop :D
 
Thanks guys. Bunch of experiments going on here. The primary is the large, external diffusion low velocity inlets; I'm shooting for maximum pressure recovery and hope to maintain maximum exit velocity.

Tweaks include relocating the inlet centers to about 1.5" above the crankshaft plane. They also move outboard, a natural consequence of switching to round inlets. The relocation improves the duct shapes in the vertical; more of a straight shot rather than the typical steep ramps. It should also reduce flow reversion because external pressure at the inboard sides of the inlets should be increased compared to stock slot inlets.

Although low velocity (the system is exit throttled) there is certainly some intake velocity, so internal divergent angles remain important. In this case it mostly drives the shape of the ducts and forward plenum wall nearest and above the crankshaft. The shapes there are not perfect, merely reasonable and better than box shapes. The left inlet had to accomodate the prop governor. NASA 3405 suggests some recovery loss because of a governor in the intake. I faired this one into the duct wall with a urethane collar gasket, but the head still protrudes into the intake flow. Again, not perfect but maybe better.

You can probably start an argument in an aero geeks bar (anybody having visions of a Gary Larson cartoon?) regarding plenum volume. I vote for large volume, and this one more or less mimics the inside of the upper cowl. However, it doesn't look large (and it's not) because this is all the available space when you shove a big angle valve motor into an RV-8 cowl. The front and rear upper corners on the left side are really tight; note the one-piece bent valve cover baffles on that side. I even rounded the mounting lugs on the cylinders in order to lower that side away from the inner cowl surface.



What looks like duct tape on the cylinder face is actually fiberglass cloth impregnated with Loctite 598. All the cylinder baffles are lined with this "gasket" and every other gap is sealed. The only air path out of this plenum is between fins.



The remote oil cooler mount is much like one I did on a previous project for a friend. Worked very well. 4" duct, not 3", and again some care in smooth transition between the round duct and the rectangular oil cooler face. The black transition is glass; I outlined how to make duct parts in another thread (http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=44856). This one is ducted all the way to the cowl exit.



I am not suggesting you do any of these things, and you certainly don't need to do any of these things. They are experiments to suit my personal fancy. Hopefully they will add both speed and operational advantage....but they may be just a waste of time. We'll see ;)
 
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Dan, great to see someone thinking and experimenting (and quoting NASA3405!) with cooling airflow. I wish you good speed with your mods. :) Nice work!
 
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The remote oil cooler mount is much like one I did on a previous project for a friend. Worked very well. 4" duct, not 3", and again some care in smooth transition between the round duct and the rectangular oil cooler face. snipped This one is ducted all the way to the cowl exit.



snipped

Dan,
How about a photo showing how the oil cooler's exit duct blends into the cowl's exit airstream? Your workmanship is outstanding. One other question. Why did you install the oil cooler in a vertical position? Lack of space? It seems that you would have achieved better airflow by orienting the oil cooler at an angle. Then you would not have forced the air to make 90 degree changes of direction going into the oil cooler.
Charlie Kuss
 
Dan,
How about a photo showing how the oil cooler's exit duct blends into the cowl's exit airstream? Your workmanship is outstanding. One other question. Why did you install the oil cooler in a vertical position? Lack of space? It seems that you would have achieved better airflow by orienting the oil cooler at an angle. Then you would not have forced the air to make 90 degree changes of direction going into the oil cooler.
Charlie Kuss

Exit area isn't finished yet; more on that later. Some of the parts are here: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=336325&postcount=1

Yes, I could have turned the cooler, but then the mount would be complicated. This mount is light and dead simple. I suspect I'll need to choke the cooler flow anyway. (Postscript Jan 2012: Nope...I could use more oil cooling. Charlie may have been right, don't know yet.)

Planning, Jan 2009:



Grab the saw, take a deep breath...



Result, Jan 2010:

 
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Charlie asked about the exit.

Exit bell, early fabrication:



The cooler dumps into what should be a high velocity/low pressure area. (Postcript, Jan 2012: By measurement, pressure at the cooler outflow is 2"~3" H2O higher than exterior static.) You can see the duct (black) above the tailpipe.



I built the cowl with nutplates so I could swap exit panels at will and thus vary exit area (just four screws in it here).



Made two panels to start. This is the big exit area panel.

 
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Wow!

Charlie asked about the exit.
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The cooler dumps into what should be a high velocity/low pressure area. You can see the duct (black) above the tailpipe.
snipped

Hopefully, that should give your oil cooling exit a scavenging affect, sort of like your 4 into 1 exhaust. What oil cooler are you using?


Very shiny! Everything reflects nicely. Did you make the exhaust ramp from stainless steel, like I did? Or has the aluminum ramp been polished?
I really wanted a 4 into 1 exhaust. However, my choice of an 8A makes that very difficult. I would have to develop a prototype for the exhaust company. I'm not sure that I could get equal length runners, without making installation/removal VERY difficult. :(
Charlie
PS What made you decide to place the oil cooler on the right side, as opposed to the left side where Vans puts it? Control cable interference?
 
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What oil cooler are you using?

10599R

Did you make the exhaust ramp from stainless steel, like I did?

Yes, the external ramp is polished stainless.

I really wanted a 4 into 1 exhaust. However, my choice of an 8A makes that very difficult.

If this were an -A, I'd have eliminated the stock exit scheme entirely and explored dual exhausts and outlets. Consider the current best Legacy projects:

http://www.aerochia.com/kits_Legacy_speed-cowl.html

Wasn't Mr. Vetterman playing with dual outlets also?
 
Very nice and well thought out. I like the final exit.
I'm wondering if you considered ending the engine exhaust pipe before the end of the lower cowl exit duct to get some eductor effect?

I know that has potential downsides, so 'I'm just sayin'...as they say.
 
It's coming together very quickly! I've still got lots to do though. Clean up some parts, dimple, prime, and rivet. I'm kind of jumping ahead as I'm still researching what I am going to do for a primer. A few cleco's have already died ... RIP little buddies. I'm already running short on 3/32. But here's the status pictures! :D

Horizontal Stabilizer
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Vertical Stabilizer
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. . . I'm already running short on 3/32. . . .

Wait until you get to this point! You won't need the jig but I'm guessing you'll still need a bunch of cleco's. I had to order more to do the wings and then even more to do the fuse. Almost every cleco I own is being used here.

Anyway, this is where I'm at, currently working on the gear towers.

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I'm calling it the cave stage.

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Thanks for the Legacy link

10599R

Yes, the external ramp is polished stainless.

If this were an -A, I'd have eliminated the stock exit scheme entirely and explored dual exhausts and outlets. Consider the current best Legacy projects:

http://www.aerochia.com/kits_Legacy_speed-cowl.html

Wasn't Mr. Vetterman playing with dual outlets also?

Dan,
Thanks for the oil cooler info and the Legacy link. Bill James has a really nice "total" plenum for his VariEze. You can see photos of it here.

http://v2.ez.org/feature/F0502-1/F0502-1.htm

Charlie Kuss
 
Wait until you get to this point! You won't need the jig but I'm guessing you'll still need a bunch of cleco's. I had to order more to do the wings and then even more to do the fuse. Almost every cleco I own is being used here.

Anyway, this is where I'm at, currently working on the gear towers.

It's looking good Bob!

Guy
 
Planning, Jan 2009:


Hi Dan,

You've done a great job on the cowl. I was thinking about doing something similar with mine. I was originally looking at installing the Sam James Plenum and modifing my Van's cowing to suit. I live in Australia, so freight costs for an entire cowl would be an issue.

Do you have any more photos, or can you share a bit more detail about how you shaped the changes to the cowl please?

Thanks
Richard
 
....can you share a bit more detail about how you shaped the changes to the cowl please?

Everything starts with the inlet; the rest is just fairing that inlet shape into the body of the cowl.

To begin with an inlet of precise size and shape, best to mold it as a separate component:



The mold in this case was a machined 1" thick nylon block, but any standard moldmaking method will work. Lay a couple plies of fabric in the mold, wet it out, then pour in a wet core, in this case a mix of micro (for lightweight bulk) and flox (for toughness).



Actual mold shape, subsequent steps, etc will vary depending on the mechanics of coupling to your inlet ducts. Form a plan early, think it all the way through, do some drawings if necessary.

With rings in hand, precisely locate them on a fully-fitted cowl and tack them in place with a few dabs of hardware store 5-minute epoxy.



Fair the rings into the your cowl shape using foam, clay, balsa, whatever works. I used pour-in-place foam covered with a four-ply structural layup. With that exterior shell cured, most of the foam (and in places some of the old cowl shell) was removed from the inside The inner surface also got a few plies for stiffness.



From there the outside is just classic fill and fair and sand (all with dry micro), followed by the addition of details (fastener hardpoints, flanges, etc).
 
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did you machine the nylon ringlet...where could one acquire these? what is the diameter of the ringlet.?
 
Finally looks like an airplane!

Well, 16 days after inventorying my Fuse kit - I have something on the bench that looks like an airplane.

I'm sure you old hands are tired of looking at kit progress, but I couldn't stop myself!

I just ordered more clecos...

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nice work! So far of all the kits I enjoyed the fuse the most. It has so many different parts and techniques. Best of all you can really see an airplane forming everyday. Enjoy.

Ken
 
Almost There!

Hi everyone,

I took this week off from work to spend some time building since the weather was "mostly" dry. I got the wings permanently installed, along with my ailerons and flaps. I spent today working on the wingtips. I'm still hoping to have it flying by early Spring. The wingtips will eventually be the same blue as the nose and leading edges. I'll paint the empennage fairing and gear fairings to blend with the silver of the polished alumimum.

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Thanks. I copied Doug Bell's paint scheme and used a Subaru color for the blue. I've been working for 8 of the last 9 years on the project and I'm really ready to be flying instead of building.
 
Matt Dralle's RV-8 Project Status 03/06/2010 (Part 1)

Well, I pulled the 'ol RV-8 project out of the shop yesterday to take a couple of pictures of the current status. That got me to thinking that I should probably post a couple of pictures here. Let me know if you have any questions. There's lots more pictures here: http://www.mattsrv8.com

Best regards,

Matt Dralle
RV-8 #82880 N998RV
http://www.mattsrv8.com Matts Construction Blog
Finishing Up...


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Baggage Area Assembly Complete (2).jpg


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Cockpit Control Labeling (2).jpg


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Front & Rear Throttle Quadrant Installation Complete (2).jpg


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Front & Rear Throttle Quadrant Installation Complete (3).jpg


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Fuel Selector Valve Installation Complete.jpg


2010.01.01 - RV-8 - Oxygen System - EDS O2D2 Pulse Demand Unit Final Installation (2).jpg


2010.01.06 - RV-8 - GRT EIS-4000 Replacement Faceplate (2).jpg


2010.01.07 - RV-8 - Front Baggage Area Complete (1).jpg


2010.01.07 - RV-8 - Front Baggage Area Complete (3).jpg


2010.01.07 - RV-8 - GPS Antenna Mount Installation Complete.jpg
 
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