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Show us a pic of your RV-4 !!!

New Plane

Congratulation on your new purchase. It looks like the RV list at Greenwood is starting to grow again. Good to see. Have fun.
 
She's not the prettiest -4 you've seen when you get close but is a good, basic VFR airplane that is FUN!

Oh I think she is VERY pretty Nate. I've seen many RV-4s flying in all different phases of their flying life; some looking like a spotted leopard before a final paint job. But they were flying and the owners were having a blast flying them. Some may be prettier than others; but I don't recall seeing an ugly one.

Just know you are going to pick up considerable speed when you put on some wheel pants. They really make a difference.

Congrats and happy flying. :D
 
Just know you are going to pick up considerable speed when you put on some wheel pants. They really make a difference.

I have a set that came with the plane but apparently one of them began to sag and it wore a thin spot/small hole in the top. The other looks to be in fair shape. I'll probably get around to test fitting them to see what needs to be done to get them fixed as the -4 does look better with them!

What sort of gain is typical? I figured maybe 5MPH?
 
Welcome to VAF!

Nate, welcome to the good ship VAF.

And, congrats on the 4-----my favorite RV design:D
 
Purchased 126RV (serial #126 & apparently the 8th -4 to fly) a few weeks ago. It was built by Bob Olds in 1983 and I believe I'm about the 5th owner. 1550 TTAF/E with Inverted Fuel (Ellison TB) and Oil.

She's not the prettiest -4 you've seen when you get close but is a good, basic VFR airplane that is FUN!

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I talked to Lee McDaniel today about your airplane, Lee was friends with Bob, Lee built my RV-4 #18 first flight May 1983. I remember meeting Bob and his Wife in 84 or so at a fly in in North Bend OR, your airplane being the one Bob completed in 1983 has to be the one he was flying that day, it had a terrible light blue paint job with a big rainbow over the top of the wings, it?s nice to see she is still flying and looking a lot better today than it did back then. The -4 is arguably the best of the bunch, have fun!
 
Russ - That's great to know! I ended up getting in contact with Bob via email prior to purchasing just to confirm some of the details the previous owner had mentioned (mostly that he was in fact the builder and just to say "hi--I'm buying a plane you built!) I bought it off an F-18 pilot who owned it for ~10 years and was stationed over-seas the past year with another year to go so he reluctantly decided to sell it.

I can confirm that it did have a baby blue paint job at one point in it's life; I see the hints of it in scratches in the cockpit. These days the cockpit is a basic grey with the external colors as seen in the picture above. The paint job was done in the early 90's and is in 'ok' condition with some scratches, dents, and a few areas where it's peeled (rivet heads, near some of the hangar rash, etc.) The tail skins were replaced with the .020 and were never painted. Like I said, not the cleanest/prettiest but the price was right and she's MINE! And what a wonderful first plane. So far it's been exactly what I had in mind and an absolute joy.
 
Russ - That's great to know! I ended up getting in contact with Bob via email prior to purchasing just to confirm some of the details the previous owner had mentioned (mostly that he was in fact the builder and just to say "hi--I'm buying a plane you built!) I bought it off an F-18 pilot who owned it for ~10 years and was stationed over-seas the past year with another year to go so he reluctantly decided to sell it.

I can confirm that it did have a baby blue paint job at one point in it's life; I see the hints of it in scratches in the cockpit. These days the cockpit is a basic grey with the external colors as seen in the picture above. The paint job was done in the early 90's and is in 'ok' condition with some scratches, dents, and a few areas where it's peeled (rivet heads, near some of the hangar rash, etc.) The tail skins were replaced with the .020 and were never painted. Like I said, not the cleanest/prettiest but the price was right and she's MINE! And what a wonderful first plane. So far it's been exactly what I had in mind and an absolute joy.
That?s great Nate! One of the best pieces of advice I?ve heard is to not insist you have the $100,000 airplane when you can?t afford it and have that stop you from owning your own airplane and not flying, go out and find a solid airplane you can afford and participate in the dream! I heard this from Van, smart guy. For a pilot owning you own airplane is pure freedom!
 
What sort of gain is typical? I figured maybe 5MPH?

At least that Nate. It's been a good while since I've flown without them and I'm hesitant to state what I "think" I recall. They do slick it up and make it go better. Amazing. It's also amazing what the leg fairings do for it. Those round gear legs really slow it down.

Happy flying and great to see you enjoying your sweet bird!! :D
 
wheel pants

Nate--After flying my RV-8 for over a year, I finally got around to finishing the wheel pants. I have a fixed pitch prop, too and saw about 6 or 7 knots at the same RPM's AND a decrease in fuel burn rate.
 
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My airsled is comin up on her twenty-sixth birthinday, kit #26...she was built by my friend, Rick Laituri and I over the course of three years and has been a joy...her fifteen minutes of fame, flyin lead durin takeoff some years back from Westover Field, Jackson CA, with thee SmokyRay in his Bandit on her right wing...

peace
CDahl
 
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Buzz, looks like another 15 minutes of fame for your baby. VAF Front page. And well deserved, i might add. She's a beauty.

And SmokyRay, he's another thing all together. :D
 
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My airsled is comin up on her twenty-sixth birthinday, kit #26...she was built by my friend, Rick Laituri and I over the course of three years and has been a joy...her fifteen minutes of fame, flyin lead durin takeoff some years back from Westover Field, Jackson CA, with thee SmokyRay in his Bandit on her right wing...

peace
CDahl

Buzz,
I took my first RV ride in that airplane back in 1988 if I remember right. It didnt have paint but it was beautiful then as well. I had met Rick at one of Vans Homecomings and was having a hard time finding someone to take me up. (There were not that many flying back then) At the time I was based in Hayward with my trusty cessna 150. He told me If I would make the trek to his place he would give me a ride. I remember having to use a special VFR to get out of hayward that day, probably not the smartest thing I have ever done but I really wanted that ride. I took that ride and loved every minuete of it, I was hooked. I built my RV4 after that and flew it for 16 years then a rocket. If you see Rick again tell him thanks again for me.
Ryan
 
Winging it!

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My airsled is comin up on her twenty-sixth birthinday, kit #26...she was built by my friend, Rick Laituri and I over the course of three years and has been a joy...her fifteen minutes of fame, flyin lead durin takeoff some years back from Westover Field, Jackson CA, with thee SmokyRay in his Bandit on her right wing...

peace
CDahl

Hi Buzz,
I remember and I am truly honored to have been on YOUR wing that day sir...
Happy Birthday 2U...:)
V/R
Smokey

PS: I bought the Bandits Emp kit 24 years ago this month and the current owner (an F18 Pilot) has surpassed the 2000 hour mark!
 
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RV4 and Cobra

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Twenty five years of fantastic flying in this RV that I would not consider selling unless I'm one foot on the banana peel and the other in the grave :)

Cobra
 
Flugzeug

Hans,

Wo bist du gewesen? Ich werde jagen sie mit meinem RV-7 bald!

Sch?nes Auto! Ist sie gebaut in Deutschland?

Mit freundlichen Gr??en!

Walter
 
Hallo Walter,

So k?nnen Sie mich in Ihre RV7 jagen wollen? Das wird Spa? machen, aber die RV4 wird wie eine Kobra bei?en, so vorsichtig sein :)

Hans "Cobra" Miesler

Picture taken at Fremont County airport with the Wet Mountains in the background. It's my playground with the RV4 as Daddy's girl.
 
Hans, at your age, should you still be driving ???

That's what I was thinking too! And you're speaking in tongues?perhaps its best if someone drives that Cobra for ya?I might know of a volunteer! :D

Nice stable Hans! Was watching your airshow rolls around the smoke with Gringo the other day?very nice!

Cheers,
Bob
 
It pains me to have to make this confession. The picture was taken years ago by a professional who happened to be at the airport that day with the Cobra. My old acro, formation and dogfighting buddy, Larry Smith and I had just landed to debrief when unbeknownst to me, this professional photographer sees my airplane and notices his wheels were painted like my wings. So he parks next to my plane, takes some pictures while Larry and I are cussing and discussing our last sortie. Several years later this pic shows up on a local calendar and it came to me out of the blue. I got in contact with the photographer and he sent me the original for my album. Someday when I get too old and rickety, I?ll trade my Harley in for four wheels as my primary means of transportation and perhaps it might be the Cobra. In the mean time, it delights me no end knowing some of my buddies actually thought I had two such beauties under my cover.

Cobra

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My airplane is silver/maroon 89HM, the other plane is piloted by Larry Smith and he did not report any benefit or detriment attributed to the dorsal.

Cobra
 
I found that picture on the Web years ago, just Googled myself to dredge up the latest dirt and found this :). Your'e right, the guy with the telephoto was at the right place at the right time.

Cheers,

Hans
 
First time posting a pic. Hope it works.

My new to me RV-4 just picked up in Medicine Hat, Alberta and flown home to Ontario. Was originally N1478. First time flying an RV...had a blast!

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Cheers,
Al
 
First flight of VH-KDO

My RV-4 project is now officially an aircraft, it took to the air for the first time approx. 2 weeeks ago, and currently its got a whole 3 hours total flight time! So far the phase 1 flight testing has gone extermely well, no real show stoppers to speak of.




 
My RV-4 project is now officially an aircraft, it took to the air for the first time approx. 2 weeeks ago, and currently its got a whole 3 hours total flight time! So far the phase 1 flight testing has gone extermely well, no real show stoppers to speak of.





Nice color choice and I really like the orange and black. Nice and sutle and not over done. Congratulations mate:)
 
Fair Dinkum!

My RV-4 project is now officially an aircraft, it took to the air for the first time approx. 2 weeeks ago, and currently its got a whole 3 hours total flight time! So far the phase 1 flight testing has gone extermely well, no real show stoppers to speak of.





G'day Derek,
Always great to see another RV4 completed. I just celebrated 25 years since I bought my 4 tail kit.
What most of the other "post RV6" builders don't realize is the difficulty level of building an RV3,4 or 6. Nowadays you just pour a bucket of clecos into the box, shake it thoroughly and an RV7,8,9,10, 12 or 14 might pop out :)

Bravo, thanks for sharing!
V/R
Smokey

Ps: The colors look blue/orange on my phone, Auburn University Tigers colors...
 
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Congratulations to you

My RV-4 project is now officially an aircraft, it took to the air for the first time approx. 2 weeeks ago, and currently its got a whole 3 hours total flight time! So far the phase 1 flight testing has gone extermely well, no real show stoppers to speak of.






Way to go.
A great lifetime achievement.
Daddyman
N262 DF
Dues paid
 
Thanks Guys

Thanks for all your comments. Its a bit difficult to tell from the pictures I’ve attached, the black looking color is a dark blue. Interestingly the orange is a Mercedes Benz color the local automotive paint guys mixed up for me. They said orange is the new black ;)

And Smokey, you'd be surprised the number of times Ive been asked already if my aircraft was a QB kit. I wish !
 
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Two beautiful -4's

Nice job with your completion and Dayton, love the red -4! Always nice to see more -4's. Flew formation with my neighbor tonight who just purchased his already flying -4. I put mine away and drove over to his hanger and he was just sitting in his plane just grinning. "I sure love this plane." He said. Yup, love the RV-4. Every time I see Richard Van- I always thank him for the RV-4 :)
 
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