VS-307 warning

Greetings,

Well, I did a practice run on my VS-307 today

Just a warning to anyone else who might start believing the RV-3 parts will fit - The top (narrow) end of the VS-307 is too wide to fit inside the VS-303 spar. You have to taper the top end of the VS-307 to make it fit. This isn't a big problem unless you follow the instructions and fabricate the VS-307 per the drawings. When will I learn

Cheers,
Rusty (calling Van's Monday morning)

Mine was the same, I figured it was a -4 part the supplied. See the previous post on the VS parts , i put mentioned a few more gotchas.
Mike

Welcome to the dark side. This was Vans first slow build kit and over a 20 year period that I built 2 RV3s nothing has changed. You really have to look at the big picture when assembling parts and drilling holes. Be prepared to trim and fit some parts as they were common to the RV4 also. I'm pretty sure you will also find a conflict when you get to fitting the elevator control horns.
Have fun, others have done it before you.
Tom
RV3 repeat offender

FWIW, I realize this will be an extended tale of woe. I'm OK with that, since I'm in no hurry, but I will probably point out the bigger gotcha's that I see along the way. It's a pity there isn't some nice, organized way to list all these things, so someone could have some hope of keeping up with them.

Rusty

been there! done that! and more!

I have been telling myself that because all of us -3 builders have had to go through this very thing since we don't have the luxury that most RV builders have of "pre punched kits" we will be viewed as "Great Builders" by the rest of the RV builder community.

VS-307 same as VS-407?

****, I fell into this trap this weekend. I knew better than to believe the instructions without measuring everything first, but oh well, now I have a pretty and polished and perfectly drilled, too-wide VS-307 spar doubler to hang on my wall.

I need to order a new VS-307 but it's not listed in Van's online parts catalog. I would gladly make one from scratch but the smallest sheet of 1/8" 2024 T3 I can find from Spruce that would meet the dimensions is 2x4 feet for $108! ****! Is the VS-407 the same part, or is the -4 tail bigger? We tried calling Van's today but got no answer.

Good job, Katie!

Thanks for mining this old information out and putting in the Sticky! Particularly interesting to me to see the early frustration that our little "Junior" caused his first builder....