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Goingmach_1

I'm New Here
Hey first time poster. I have acquired a project and I am just getting my shop organized to start the build. What I have are 2 separate projects from 2 people. Basically I have a finished tail, and a wing kit, I hope, for a RV-8.

The tail looks good so I am just going to put it off to the side as its all built and primed looking like it only needs to be installed. Of course we will give it a good look over before the inspection.

My question is, the skins are all pre-drilled, but nothing else. Is this normal? Vans tells me the wing kit is a 1997. We do not even know if all the components are there yet. Vans has sent me the original packing list, but I have not received it yet.

Just wondering if the new kits come all pre-drilled on all pieces?

Thanks.
 
Thanks very much.

Quite excited to get started. I bought the preview plans a month ago and read through them, well thumbed through them. Well written and nice plans.

When we got our wing kit home first thing we noticed was that may 10% of the parts have numbers on them. Hmmm, we will figure it out. Next little snag is the numbers that are on there do not match the new numbers in the instructions.

Hopefully the mail man arrives soon to help us get going.
 
Just about everything in my wing kit is predrilled. Just a few items that require match drilling are not.
 
What you have is best described as a ?transitional? kit. The early -8?s are partially match drilled and they still require jigging, like the last of the -6 kits. The later -8?s are fully pre-punched, similar the -7, -9, -10, -12, & 14.

Your wing kit should have come with a center section that may be required for your fuselage kit. Maybe someone who has built an early -8 will chime in.

One thing to keep in mind, the early -8?s have different acro GW numbers, so make sure to look into that.
 
Goingmach_1 said:
Hey first time poster. I have acquired a project and I am just getting my shop organized to start the build. What I have are 2 separate projects from 2 people. Basically I have a finished tail, and a wing kit, I hope, for a RV-8.

The tail looks good so I am just going to put it off to the side as its all built and primed looking like it only needs to be installed. Of course we will give it a good look over before the inspection.

My question is, the skins are all pre-drilled, but nothing else. Is this normal? Vans tells me the wing kit is a 1997. We do not even know if all the components are there yet. Vans has sent me the original packing list, but I have not received it yet.

Just wondering if the new kits come all pre-drilled on all pieces?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Sounds normal for an early kit. Most skins were predrilled. Bulkheads and ribs not. You are also probably dealing with a generation 1 wing. There are structural improvements made to the second version. Not enough to loose sleep over, but changes nevertheless. See spar and wing structural details at the outboard tank line.

As for any complications from building a -8 without 100% prepunch, they are minimal. Loss of hair, enduring the smell of Sharpie, etc. But you'll survive. Just be glad you're building yours with Internet discussion boards and instant access to hundreds of previous -8 builders! Back in the day, we had to just figure it out!! ;)
 
Thanks everybody for your reply's.

There is a reason why I picked this up for the price I paid.

Anyone put there with 1997 wings constuction plans, and instructions?

Send me a PM and if you do I'd be happy to either borrow them, or buy.

Thanks again everybody!
 
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