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Van's Air Force

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Show us a pic of your FINISHED RV-8/8A!!!

Beautiful airplane Jerry. Your in-flight picture is now my "motivational" laptop background. I just mounted my first aileron this weekend! Baby steps I tell ya......
 
Repeat Offender Flight

Here's a pic of my recently completed 8.
In the back seat is Scott Hersha (RV6, RV8 under construction).
Shooting the pic and flying lead is Ken Reider( 3 RV8's completed).
The airport in the background is KILN(Wilmington, Ohio) a private airport owned by DHL whom I have worked for 20 yrs, and Ken has worked for 1yr.
Recently Ken and I had a trip to LAX from ILN, needless to say the First Officer was quite perturbed by our incessent RVing for over 4 hrs.

 
Straight 8

Hi Jon,
Just a quick one for ya. Plane looks good! You have that 8 building down pretty good. Wanted to ask you how many layers on your windscreen/fuse joint you layed up? Carbon fiber?
Take care,

Bruce G.
RV8 Fuse
 
Windscreen/hood?

The 7 total layers is probably over the top of the rollbar. Correct? Curious if
that's the same combination you used on the windscreen to hood? From the
photo it looks about 2 layers. Reason I ask is some get carried away with the
front and it builds up quick, as in height up the windscreen.
I want as much veiw out the front as I can get like yours. ;)
Thanks for your time,

Bruce G.
RV8 Fuse
Interior painting and wiring
 
Windscreen

Bruce
You are correct, the carbon fiber layups are for strength as a hand hold.
The front layups were 2 or 3, I can't remember but were strictly for fairing.
I was shooting for max vis. also.
Jeez, I gotta do this 2 more times in about a month.
After these are done I think I'll retire from RV's and start playing golf again!!
 
Painted and Flying...Finally!

Finally got the paint finished and the plane flying again. This picture was taken over the Texas hill country north of San Antonio.

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SWEEEEEEEEEEET

Steve,

Awesome job!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can I be your wingman in 4 years ?????

Got to love it.
 
Great Job

Steve,

You're paint scheme looks super. I'm certain the quality is as exceptionally high as the rest of the airplane's workmanship. But the red appears to be in the wrong spot. It's supposed to be in front! :D

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Hey Steve....aren't the tails on target drones painted red...? ;)

Seriously though - beautiful job! Can't wait to see it in person somewhere!

Paul
 
Twitterpated

You know, I have had more questions and have gotten so much grief over Twitterpated. I should have gone with Yogi Bear or something like that. And on top of all that the art work is buried under the clear coat. I even made up a little poster to stick on the prop at fly-ins. But to answer your question, Twitterpated comes from the 1942 Disney move Bambi. The rabbit is Thumper. In the movie wise old owl describes the amorous condition of all the animals in Springtime as Twitterpated. I know, pretty goofy. What can I say? I guess I'm glad I have no plans to sell the plane.

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Ironflight said:
Hey Steve....aren't the tails on target drones painted red...? ;)

Seriously though - beautiful job! Can't wait to see it in person somewhere!

Paul


Paul
The red tail gives everyone else something to follow!!!
 
Jay,
Did I see your plane in Steamboat this Weekend? I recognized the tail art. the plane is beautiful. When I flew out Sunday AM the airport guys must have moved my 210 from the ramp area and tied it down next to your bird. I should have flown my 8 up but had to haul some bikes, it would have been a nice photo. is that a 151 whirlwind? If so have you already done the overhaul and did you opt for the upgraded blades? I am debating on mine.
Steve
RV-8
 
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[/IMG] Van's Luftwaffe is here! It's an actual paint job from an Fw-190. I just thought it was time for a bad guy to chase around with all the P-51 look-a-likes out there. Based at KPLR. Joel McMillian N880JM.
 
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[/IMG]Thanks Bruce, the only thing that was changed is the unit emblem from a "flying U"(Udet) to a flying"V"(Van). I used PPG Concept paint sprayed with a standard gravity fed HVHP(using 40psi) gun just like the Germans used to paint the originals. The colors were taken from the original paint maufacturers paint chips(they are still in business!) For the Luftwaffe afficianados, it's a standard RLM 74,75,76 paint job, interior in RLM66.The original aircraft was with 4th Staffle(~) of JG3. The spinner was done with Duplicolor rattle cans and clear coated with PPG clear...... Can you tell I've been building and painting plastic models of German WWII planes since a teen! I also have a fairly large collection of books with Luftwaffe paint jobs , so if anybody likes what I did with my 8 and wants to join the "Dark Side" aka Vans Luftwaffe ,let me know ,I'll be more than happy to help with research or anything else. Joel Mc :D
 
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Simply awesome work Joel. How about a P-51 RV, your FW-190 RV, and a Spitfire scheme RV in a Vans Airforce fly by. That would be a nice sight to see.
 
balance in the rv universe

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Van's Luftwaffe is here! It's an actual paint job from an Fw-190. I just thought it was time for a bad guy to chase around with all the P-51 look-a-likes out there. Based at KPLR. Joel McMillian N880JM.

yes yes every body wants to be the good guy but without the bad ones then whats the fun. nice job btw.
 
Great job. Love to see -8s painted like WWII fighters. You definately have something unique but you are still vastly outnumbered by the Mustangs....sort of like it was! Again, great job.
 
I also have a fairly large collection of books with Luftwaffe paint jobs , so if anybody likes what I did with my 8 and wants to join the "Dark Side" aka Vans Luftwaffe ,let me know ,I'll be more than happy to help with research or anything else. Joel Mc :D

Black8,

I may just take you up on that offer in about, oh..... five or six years.;)

I've been waiting for this for a while. I like German stuff. The iron cross looks GREAT!!!

Were there any german fighters that were partially polished? I've seen some P-51 look-a-like RV-8s that were part paint, part polished. They are GORGEOUS!!!

Danny King's "Beautiful Doll" and Marshall Jacobson's "Miss Sue" are also awesome examples of fully painted P-51 paint schemes.

See Marshall's plane here. http://www.n2prise.org/rv9a247.htm



GREAT JOB!!
Josh
 
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I really like your idea, do you have any more pictures on the paint job?


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Van's Luftwaffe is here! It's an actual paint job from an Fw-190. I just thought it was time for a bad guy to chase around with all the P-51 look-a-likes out there. Based at KPLR. Joel McMillian N880JM.
 
Way to go Black 8

It's funny, when people ask me if money were no object what plane would you own? They expect me to say "P-51", but nope - FW-190. Nice paint scheme - I almost did mine that way and decided on a more traditional RV job instead.

I like the fact that you picked Udet's plane. He was an incredible pilot and bucked the system. Had I done an FW-190 scheme, I think I would have done Adolf Galland's scheme as he was another one of my favorite characters and then I would have gotten an excuse to use his famous logo - Mickey Mouse smoking a cigar with a hatchet in the other hand.

Anyway, nice job breaking with tradition.

Rob
 












Guys thanks for all the kind words! Here are some different views of my plane. JMc
 
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Van's Air Force Aggressor Squadron?

Joel,

That is very cool. Could this be the start of a Van's Air Force Aggressor Squadron? :cool:
 
Doug, That's kind of the idea. Thats why I said Van's Luftwaffe. There are also some really neat paint schemes that the Japanese used on the Ki-100's and Oscars and don't forget the Italians and Russians.These are only a few of the possible paint jobs for "the Bad Guys". I just really wanted something different. You know when growing up someone always had to be the Indian/German/Jap..etc.to the Cowboy/Soldier and now we have the Aggressor Squadrons! I do like that.... Van's Aggressor Squadron!! Check this out and tell me this guy isn't having a blast!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:F16C_Aggressor.jpg
 
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Hey Eddie, that's what I'm talking about. There are so very many cool WWII paint schemes for everyone to have something different. Or have a group of friends paint the planes in the same squadron markings with individual "nose art" etc. Now that would be cool to see a whole squadron of RV-8's or dare I say it Jagdgeswader 3 flying Fw-8's ;) chasing each other around the flyby pattern at S-n-F or OSH!
 
Jim ,the ones I've seen have been airbrushed on.You could possibly also have them done by a graphics shop and stick them on. My suggestion would be to go to Sun-n-Fun or OSH and hope someone shows up that has them. I've taken some pictures of them along with painted on guns at S-n-F so I'll look for them and post them or send them to you. Joel McMillian
 
Jim ,the ones I've seen have been airbrushed on.You could possibly also have them done by a graphics shop and stick them on. My suggestion would be to go to Sun-n-Fun or OSH and hope someone shows up that has them. I've taken some pictures of them along with painted on guns at S-n-F so I'll look for them and post them or send them to you. Joel McMillian

Thanks Joel, that would be most appreciated. I meant to say in my post that I'd seen PICTURES of several that looked to have these exhausts...always scratched my head as to how they pulled it off. :confused:Airbrushed or graphics sounds much easier. Oh, by the way, beautiful plane!!!
 
Oh man, I love that Focke-8.. :)

I've been trying to talk my pops into a military scheme for our 6, but I dunno if he'll go for it.. :)
 
Thanks!

Glad you like the paint! You caught my son and I on arrival to SNF. After driving there for 6 years, it was first time flying in. We saw some people taking pictures as we taxiied by. Yours is really good and it is on my desktop now.
Can't wait 'til next year. :)

Thanks again!
 
Hey Bruce, I really liked your plane and at the time my 8 was in green primer and looked like yours with the OD paint and I thought long and hard about leaving it that way with appropriate markings especially after seeing yours at S-n-F! I'm gonna fly mine down this year for the first time after drivng it for the last 18 years! Hope to see you there. Jeff , I live in BHM and my hangar is at Pell City/St Clair county KPLR. Hangar C-5. I hope the pictures help with your friendly persuation with your dad.:D Joel McMillian
 
It's Alive!

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I finally flew Black 8 for the first time today. So watch out all you RV-51 guys I'm offically on patrol!:D Here's a shot thanks to my friends Bruce Roberts(RV-9A) and John Blum (NA Navion chase plane).Video to follow soon thanks to Scott Sorrels(RV-8 builder).
 
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Joel,
that ship is truly awesome! Dazzling... I love it. Alabama ain't that far away.
Check six, pard.
Chuck
 
I finally flew Black 8 for the first time today. So watch out all you RV-51 guys I'm offically on patrol!:D Here's a shot thanks to my freinds Bruce Roberts(RV-9A) and John Blum (NA Navion chase plane).Video to follow soon thanks to Scott Sorrels(RV-8 builder).

awesome, man. Congrats!
 
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