Common Backgrounds, Common Dreams......
Thanks DaAV8R.
My dad and I already fly rc airplanes.
We have over 20 and are steadily building more.
I need to sell some so I can have some sort of way to
start saving up for at least an empennage kit.
Whit, while I will confess I am a far sight older than you are now, just wanted to share with you that I too have an extensive upbringing on RC modeling, and we share the same dream of building and flying the RV-8, which is currently "in progress" for me. If you have built RC birds from kits with parts, and not so much the ready-to-fly kits that seem to dominate the market today, you already possess much of the knowledge, and many of the skills that are needed to build a larger metal bird.
The build concepts and order of assembly are largely the same as those used to build RC airplanes, only the materials and the tools are different. I have drawn on my past RC experience many times throughout the build process for the RV-8, which has come in very handy at times.
Vans has a couple of small project practice kits you can order, but you will also need some of the riveting tools to put it together. I started my project with the toolbox kit, and also took the SportAir sheet metal class offered by EAA when it came to town, and the RV-8 empennage kit followed soon thereafter.
You can check out EAAs website for the SportAir workshop schedule and location, and I would strongly recommend you and your dad (and even mom too if she is willing) take that class. You will get a major introduction into what it takes to build a metal airplane by completing a small airfoil and control surface project over the course of one weekend. The materials and tools are all provided for you, and it does not cost very much to sign up, so it is a great learning experience.
I see some flight lessons and some riveting tools, and maybe even an RV-8 empennage kit in your future!