B

BradC

Member
I apologize for this question as I know some of it will be tainted with material that has been beaten to death but ... I cant seem to find anyone who supplies the fastback option to be combined with a sliding canopy on an RV8. I have looked into the showplanes.com kits but they are not sold as component parts and are not offered with a sliding canopy as an option.
It seems like John Harmon's kits are sized for an RV4 and I have no idea what is going on with the F1 rockets in terms of the fuselage dimensions. I have not contacted either John Harmon or Mark Frederick about this as I figured I would tap the collective wisdome here first. Thanks for entertaining my newbie questions.

Brad
 
I purchased the Clark Fastback kit and have received it but not installed it yet on my QB kit.

The parts are very nicely done and the instructions from Tom seem to be very detailed and easy to follow. The 4x8 2024T3 skin is not included...I'll purchase that locally.

I bought the associated canopy from Todd at Airplane Plastics in Ohio.

I also plan to modify the front canopy frame per Tom's design.

I have deleted the unneeded canopy from my Van's shipment. I think the net cost delta will be about $1100.

Deene Ogden
RV8QB, 390, BA prop and Clark FB
Round Rock, TX
 
Someone should make a kit for the -4...I contacted John Harmon with no luck. I have a feeling the rocket guys want to just sell rockets, not modify RV-x's to make them look like a rocket.
 
Vans is prepuching the entire rv-8 fuselage and along with that there is talk of a fast back option available from vans that will also be prepunched.
 
brules said:
Vans is prepuching the entire rv-8 fuselage and along with that there is talk of a fast back option available from vans that will also be prepunched.
Click to expand...


WOW! do you know when that will happen? I too want the fast back option and would be interested.
 
The last time i was at Vans the standard rv-8 fuse was already prepunched in the prototype shop but i haven't heard from the tech guys if they have started on the fastback yet but it was to follow.
 
prepunched or match hole

I believe the 8 fuse is prepunched on the skins but not match hole. The wing is match hole. Are you saying they have made the fuse now full match hole?
 
john kelley said:
I believe the 8 fuse is prepunched on the skins but not match hole. The wing is match hole. Are you saying they have made the fuse now full match hole?
Click to expand...

I don't know about "now" but as of 15 Feb 06 it wasn't match-hole, only pre-punched skins.
 
I would guess the formal statement might be out by oshkosh but two weeks ago I saw a matched hole rv-8 fuselage at vans while taking a tour and after asking a few questions about other mods it was mentioned a fastback was to follow.
 
brules said:
I would guess the formal statement might be out by oshkosh but two weeks ago I saw a matched hole rv-8 fuselage at vans while taking a tour and after asking a few questions about other mods it was mentioned a fastback was to follow.
Click to expand...

That sounds sweet. I think I'll be starting on a slow build RV-8 this winter, and that should fit me nicely...
 
When I was at the factory several months ago, they said the whole RV-8 fuselage will be match drilled for shipping in mid to late summer!
 
Been working on these wings for a while now just enjoying the "ride", but glad they are indeed matched hole. It's almost time to order the fuse...timing is everything! SOOOWEEEEEETT!! :D

Jeff
-8 wings
 
From Brules:

"I would guess the formal statement might be out by oshkosh but two weeks ago I saw a matched hole rv-8 fuselage at vans while taking a tour and after asking a few questions about other mods it was mentioned a fastback was to follow."

Brules, who are you getting your tours from at Van's? Everytime I have been there the prototype shop was "off limits".

cl
 
CL,
I don't remember the guy's name however, he did say he would have to take me out and shoot me if I said anything! WHOOPS!
 
He never asked me not to talk about it, and apparently RVF84 was told about it in february!
If this is such a serious matter, maybe a remark like(take me out back and shoot me )should not have been used jokeingly and a more professional buisness manner should have been used!
If you read the original post, A guy named BradC who is probably another loyal Vans person like the rest of us, is building or has built an RV and has been trying to find out some INFO on a fastback for his RV!
If there is some INFO, why wouldn't someone from Vans answer his question?
What's the big secret?
Why not help the guy out?
Is it a case of national security to share some "up and coming" INFO that could save us all some money and grief?
It makes me wonder how much INFO is not shared with us at critical times!
I hope that I helped BradC with this INFO, and I sure hope that it doesn't put Vans aircraft out of buisness!
No Apologies,
Brules
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you look at the RV-8 column, fuselage row; the asterist (*) indicates pre-punched, which is the same asterisk used for the 7 and 9 columns. Which would lead me to believe the 8 fuse kits are made the same way as the 7's and 9's.



http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/kitprice.htm
 
Last edited:
briand said:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you look at the RV-8 column, fuselage row; the asterist (*) indicates pre-punched, which is the same asterisk used for the 7 and 9 columns. Which would lead me to believe the 8 fuse kits are made the same way as the 7's and 9's.



http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/kitprice.htm
Click to expand...

Seems to be a lot of interest in this lately, It would be easy to confirm, just call Vans. "Prepunched" as the "*" indicates, does not mean "match-holed" like the wings and emp. The -8 fuse has been "prepunched" for years. I hope they do or will offer it as match-holed as it will make building the fuse more accurate and easier, although it will not help me at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.