RV-1

[Geico266]

Yes, you read that right. RV-1

I got to talking to a buddy at a flyin B-fast Saturday that inherited his uncles RV-3. Needless to say it was not prepunched back in 1971 when he started it as an RV-1. Some of the plans are hand written by Van himself.

I thought I would start a thread about the RV-1 so see if anyone else has some info or history about it.

[Phil]

Larry,

Check out this thread.
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=21989

The original RV-1 built by Van himself is located here in the Houston area. It's in a little grass strip in Crosby called Dunham Field.

The airplane is still in decent shape, but we ground looped a few years back and hasn't been repaired since.

I came across it a few years ago and it was quite a surprise to find tucked away in at a small grass strip. Even better when I found Van's name on the side.


From Vans Site Too:

The first homebuilt was a rather sad-performing 65 hp S**** Playboy which Van flew for a year and sold. During that time, he purchased another Playboy airframe and rebuilt it, installing a 125 hp Lycoming engine, bubble canopy, and Hoerner style wingtips. This flew much better, but still had a high landing speed, high sink rate, and only moderately good cruise speed. Clearly, he reasoned, this much horsepower should provide better performance, so the airframe couldn't be as efficient as its sporty lines indicated.

Within a year of returning to civilian life, now employed as a mechanical engineer, he had designed, built and installed a set of cantilever aluminum wings to replace the strut-braced wood and fabric originals. Renamed the RV-1, the Playboy flew like a new airplane. The wings were equipped with flaps to provide the short landing performance required for operation from the short farm strip. It was jokingly said that the only reason "that cheap Dutchman" rebuilt the Playboy was to be able to keep it at home and avoid hangar rent. Whatever the reason, it was the beginning of the RV designs.

From 1965 through 1968 Van flew the RV-1 550 hours and enjoyed its performance immensely, but still, he was aware that it was a hybrid and felt something better was possible. Van figured that an airplane should be able to fly into any reasonable airstrip where the fun might be, have enough power and maneuverability to do good basic aerobatics, and be as fast as possible. This may not seem to be a particularly inspired goal, but just consider for a minute how few airplanes actually achieve it. He reluctantly sold the RV-1 (it was still flying in 2001) and began design and construction of the RV-3. It flew for the first time in August 1971. It proved to be a delightful airplane, an improvement in every way over the RV-1.

[AZtailwind]

Originally Posted by Phil

Larry,

Check out this thread.
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=21989

The original RV-1 built by Van himself is located here in the Houston area. It's in a little grass strip in Crosby called Dunham Field.

Yea,
Maybe this should be in a museum somewhere! The modified S**** SA-3, (I did say SSttiittss!) not the other word!
Modified Wing and more horses!

[Phil]

I think they offered to get it back into Van's hands, but he declined.

At least that was the legend when I found it.

Must be typo in the curse filter. You're right (S)(t)(i)(t)(s) ts is coming up as S****.