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RV-6 scratch build possible?

Could someone tell me if the plans that vans provides for the 6 contain enough info to scratch build, ie, bulkhead coordinates?
Ben
 
The dwgs are to scale, that would be tough though, some tooling would be needed.

Bird
 
Yes

Although hand drawn and not as pretty as the later model prints, the 6/6A prints include all the dimensions needed to scratch build a plane. The only other thing you'll need other than a lot of time and money is a huge amount of ambition. :)
 
There are still a lot of components you'd want to buy, as well. (Canopy, gear legs, cowlings, etc.) They give dimensions for the welded parts but not for the machined gear legs or the fiberglass stuff.
 
If I'm not mistaken, I recall seeing a picture of a Scratch built 6 in an issue of the Rvator many years ago.
 
If I'm not mistaken, I recall seeing a picture of a Scratch built 6 in an issue of the Rvator many years ago.

There has been a few that were mostly scratch built. The reason it is not common, is the only real benefit is if someone really just wants to do all of it.
If you factor in the the volume pricing Vans gets on hardware and aluminum, a scratch builder buying materials them self probably can't save any money over what the kit costs are.
 
When I was looking at the -6A kit as something to build, I bought a "Preview Plans Set". This item included the construction manual and all of the drawings in 11x17 format. These drawings included a lot of dimensional detail for various parts.

When I purchased the various kit sub assemblies to actually build the -6A, the real construction drawings did not contain all of the detail, dimensions of some of the parts that the preview set did.
 
When I was looking at the -6A kit as something to build, I bought a "Preview Plans Set". This item included the construction manual and all of the drawings in 11x17 format. These drawings included a lot of dimensional detail for various parts.

When I purchased the various kit sub assemblies to actually build the -6A, the real construction drawings did not contain all of the detail, dimensions of some of the parts that the preview set did.

I am building an RV-6 by the "parts and plans" method. I started with a second hand tail kit and ended up rebuilding all the work the previous builder had done. This entailed folding up replacement spar channels and fabricating many other items. Generally stuff that I would enjoy making or can make more economically than can be bought, I make. Other things I just buy the parts from Vans.

This system suits me a lot more than buying a comprehensive kit, and the whole pre-punch thing just doesn't spin my wheels. Presently, dollars-wise I have a fraction tied up in the project than if I'd bought a kit.

The drawings aren't the best, and I am qualified to make that judgement as I have been dealing with engineering drawings for all of my working life. Some parts cannot be made from the drawings and you either need to make the item to fit to the neighbouring parts or have a real Vans part to measure (copy). But the bulkhead co-ordinates are there.

With respect to the comment above, I understand Vans revised the RV-6 drawings at some point in their life-span and removed a lot of the dimensional data. I am aware of at least one RV-6 builder that received updated drawings from Vans and dumped the old ones, only to go rushing out to the dumpster to retrieve the old ones once he had realised what the new ones were like. I have a very early serial numbered kit, and the drawings are correspondingly old and therefore fairly fully dimensioned.

Andrew.
 
I also have a + 20 year old blue print set for the RV6. It has the info you need to scratch build - That was the general idea 20 odd years ago :) .. and how I started ... I have a updated RV6 preview set .. which has lots of revisions .. but also missing some dimensional data .... but it sure is possible to scratch build ....
 
Plan built RV-6

I have seen several plan built RV-6's at the Vans club de France fly ins. and they looked good. I think one was registered as F-PFAT.
 
I remember having to send Van's a notarized statement certifying that I would use the plans to build only ONE airplane. This was after I bought the tail kit and got the full size plans. The preview plans state not to use them for construction purposes, so I don't know how much faith one should put in them.

I guess somebody COULD use the plans to scratch build an RV, but why?
 
I remember having to send Van's a notarized statement certifying that I would use the plans to build only ONE airplane. This was after I bought the tail kit and got the full size plans. The preview plans state not to use them for construction purposes, so I don't know how much faith one should put in them.

I guess somebody COULD use the plans to scratch build an RV, but why?

If you have to ask the question, you won't understand the answer....;)
 
Scratch Built

Google G-REAS
Scratch built in the UK and this was mentioned years ago in the RVator when after Ken had visited the UK

Rob
 
I did ask the question, so try me out on the answer. I spent a long enough time building my RV-6A from a KIT...I couldn't imagine wanting to scratchbuild one. I suppose there are some who would, but I'm not into that kind of thing.
 
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