Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale Cross
Some of these mods sound really interesting and I would be interested in including them on my aircraft once finished. However, I am contemplating going with the quick build fuselage. How many of these mods are realistically possible or worth the effort with a quick build fuse?
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Hello Dale,
Your question is vary valid, and it comes down to advantages of both the Quickbuild fuselage over the Slowbuild. I started this thread two years ago with no clue about building a RV-8 fuselage. I am now in final stages of building my fuselage. I've gain a lot of knowledge building my -8 fuselage.
Despite taking a lot more time to build, the main advantage of the slow build over the quickbuild, it is that with a lot of planning, you can incorporate mods, design improvements or avionics bracketry at a stage where it is easy to assemble. The same is not true with Quickbuilds, as access is probably limited. Example, I am currently installing my bracket for the Garmin autopilot servo while I still have the parts on the workbench, not when the fuselage is entirely built. Thousand time more easy !
As per your question for the mods discussed here:
1) Landing Gear Tower mods: doable on a quickbuild, but will be very challenging
2) Avionic Access Door in Bulkhead F866B-1: That shall be easy. This bulkhead is not yet attached to the canoe when you receive your quickbuild fuselage
3) Fastback, same as the bulkhead above. the upper aft fuselage is not assembled on the quickbuilt canoe. You can still purchase the Fastback option and install it if you like
4) Andair Fuel Valve: A must...when you get the fuel valve delivered with the kit in your hands, you will place an order for an Andair fuel valve for sure....That said, adding the nutplate on longeron F844 for the new valve bracket you will make maybe challenging as the longeron is already riveted in place. On the slowbuild, you just take the longeron to your work table and make all the needed holes...easy !
5) No mod, but I was glad I had a slow build fuselage....Making all the fuel and brake lines, and bending them to shape. I can't imagine doing this with a completed quickbuild fuselage. It was already challenging to do with just the forward fuselage fully open, no skins on the sides. I didn't have to bend or twist myself to get in the little corner of fuselage to make nice fuel lines.
Anyhow, that is just a quick summary. Once I am done with my fuselage this upcoming fall, I will share here with pictures most of the mods and improvement I have done to my fuselage.
I don't regret at all going the Slowbuild route over the quickbuild for the fuselage. If I do this again someday, my choice would still be slowbuild fuselage, and quickbuild wings, no doubt about it.