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imported and ready to fly

Just a side note: 560hrs on the hobbs,, and I still can't stop the grin:D
Enjoy every minute of it!!
 
Welcome to the Club!!!

I hope also that the weather is getting better, to take PH-KLT for a ride!!:D

I can feel your pride to fly a 3, now you can also never stop smiling;)

Always happy Landings!!

Math Rv-3B PH-KLT
 
RV-3 Electric Trim Finished

I got the electric trim installed finally on my "3" and copied Randy L's great idea from his "unofficial RV-3 headquarters" web site! Simple and functional and a great improvement over the original manual trim that passed through the elevator horn shaft and would bind up with elevator movement. I also got a bent VHF whip antenna installed and will work on getting the xpndr antenna installed next...progress... :)

Doug Lomheim
RV-3 Restoration
OK City, OK


https://www.dropbox.com/s/jdw4h2rpmpw6ei4/Trim Finished.jpg
 
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RV-3A Restoration

I'm still making slooooow progress on my "3A" restoration, and it seems one thing "fixed" ends up leadng to another item to correct. For instance: I moved the Odyssey battery to the top of the firewall much like I did on my RV-9A, but didn't consider access to the piano hinges that hold the top cowling on. Once I started to work with the top cowling, it quickly became apparent that there would be no way to push and pull the wire so I bought some Skybolt fastners and just got those installed...

Doug Lomheim
OK City, OK
RV-3A / O-290 "G" modified to "D" spec.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/64ev47pqed1orfs/Skybolt Installation.jpg
 
Trial Fitting RV-3A Piano Wire...ouch!

I really don't like messing with the piano wire that holds the two cowling halves together on my RV-3A. Today I attempted to push the wires all the way in and it was just too tight to work. What kinds of techniques do you all use to make this painful job, less so?

I'm tempted to add skybolts down both sides, but will wait for some of the group's great ideas before I start ordering those in and begin cutting metal!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/divewifmvugd154/RV-3A Cowling piano wire.jpg

I've pretty much run out of stuff todo at home on this restoration, so going to try and get it moved to a nice long and wide local airport this week and plub the wings on, etc! Getting closer...


Doug Lomheim
RV-3A Restoration
 
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The wires on the sides are not a problem on mine, they go in easily until the last 3" that I push with a piece of wood. The ones I would like to change are the two at the top, back of the cowl. Reaching through the oil door to work them is no fun and I plan to replace with something soon. If you keep them, be sure you make your oil door big enough to get your arm through it with the engine and accy. in place.
 
Wilddog...thanks for the suggestion. I grabbed a small block of wood yesterday and was able to push it end to end on both sides. Worked okay with the cowling halves off the airframe, so hopefully will also allow the same result when on it. Click on the url of my "Restoration" update post above. It shows the Skybolts I added to the top cowling due to just the issues you mentioned plus the fact that after I moved my Odyssey battery to the top of my firewall, it viritually made it impossible to get at. Skybolts are so much less painful!
 
The Jabirus I used to work on have hinge-style attachment pins for the sides of the cowling just like an RV. We had a long piece of hinge pin with a taper on one end that we could put in an electric drlll and run through the hinges to ream out little bits of paint, epoxy, and whatever else made wire installation difficult. In some cases we used canned air to blow debris away. It worked great.
 
Ab&Dani rv-3

Well, here are a few pics of my basically scratch build. I hope the pics work.
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Thanks Mike

Your -10 is looking good. You do very nice work. I wish I had your skill and patience. My -3 will be a dailey fly'r. The only award it might win would be longest build time...LOL.
 
Another 3A is an airplane...

After 21 months of restoration and repair, RV-3A Van's number: 10934 (original #513) flew for 1.2 hrs yesterday (total time 152.5 hrs). Previous to that flight, the a/c sat in a house/hanger on the grass strip at Colgate, OK for at least the pat 12 yrs. without flying. It is powered by Lycoming O-290G which I tore down, sent the pieces out for inspection, and rebuilt. In comparing an average of GPS to my indicated airspeed they both coorelated very closely together, so I believe my a/s is indicating about 10 mph too fast. The first take-off as in all the RVs I've ever flown was a real "non-event", since before I finished feeding in all the power it was flying! Anyway, I just thought I'd post this update, and see if one of my buddies got any useable pictures of the flight to post since I was a bit busy at the time!

Fly safe out there!

Doug Lomheim
RV-3A
 
Congratulations, Doug! :D Show us a picture!

Where did you send your engine parts? I am thinking about doing the same thing.
 
Outstanding Doug! Glad to hear that you are back in the air - now let's see if that Rotary job ever gets finished..... ;)

Looking forward to hearing performance numbers and seeing some pictures!
 
Engine Parts

Congratulations, Doug! :D Show us a picture!

Where did you send your engine parts? I am thinking about doing the same thing.

Katie:

I drove my crankshaft up to A.S.S. in Tulsa to have it checked out. The cylinders and Mags went to D&B Engines at Wiley Post for cleaning and inspection (Mags got a 500 hr. inspection). I dropped the case off just outside of Tulsa at C.S.I. to get the case cleaned and inspected, and the Carb went to Gene Martin in Enid, OK for inspection and rebuild.

Hope that helps...

Doug
 

I'm so glad to see your instrument panel, it's very similar to what I am planning on - I just wasn't sure if my plans would even fit well and figured I'd find out when I get to that stage of actually making the panel. Now I know mine will fit with very little changes which is good.

Your 3 looks great! Thanks for sharing the pics!
 
Quick status report

Over the past couple weekends, I've had a chance to spend some quality time with the little green machine. Straightened the right side cockpit longeron, riveted a new canopy hinge in place, and rebuilt the right side of the canopy frame, which was all bent up. Got all the old pop rivets that used to attach the fiberglass skirt drilled out and cleaned up. (All the damage happened when canopy met earth as the plane flipped in the SNF tornado.)

IMG_20140531_165302242_HDR.jpg


IMG_20140531_165235334.jpg
 
+1 congrats, Katie! I know things have been hectic for you and Ben, but it really is nice to see you making progress again!
 
N66GB, nearly ready to fly again!

I bought this RV-3 back in May needing repairs. I had the engine mount and gear legs replaced, and got it flying enough to get it home. Since then, I have been finishing up the gear legs, fairings, cowl, and instruments. I am installing a new xponder next week, then get the pants fitted and do a fresh weight and balance and she should be all good. Can't wait!

First try at attaching pics...hope it works.
Dave

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/Dacronwall/media/0b6fdaaf-45dd-44d6-8f9e-c5e3dcdffa38_zpscb16ec8a.jpg.html?state=copy[/IMG]

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/D...-857df121e53e_zps98aa91c6.jpg.html?state=copy
 
I bought this RV-3 back in May needing repairs. I had the engine mount and gear legs replaced, and got it flying enough to get it home. Since then, I have been finishing up the gear legs, fairings, cowl, and instruments. I am installing a new xponder next week, then get the pants fitted and do a fresh weight and balance and she should be all good. Can't wait!

First try at attaching pics...hope it works.
Dave

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/Dacronwall/media/0b6fdaaf-45dd-44d6-8f9e-c5e3dcdffa38_zpscb16ec8a.jpg.html?state=copy[/IMG]

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/D...-857df121e53e_zps98aa91c6.jpg.html?state=copy




That looks like the RV-3 that once had a 360 CS setup and was the FASTEST RV for a period of time. I remember it being hangared at the same airport I was at the time. Sun-N-Fun Race was where it set a course speed of over 222 MPH. This was before Dave Anders and Tracy Saylor both started dominating RV speed records.
 
N66GB

Yes Gary....That is the one alright. She raced at Sun-n-Fun a couple of times. Logbook entry gives 222mph avg speed with a top speed of 228. That engine and prop was removed in 2011, and it was fitted up with a fresh IO-320 and a fixed pitch prop. I have only ferried it home and done a couple laps in the pattern thus far, but hope to have it fully airworthy in the next week or 2.
I was going to fly her up to Reno to watch the races, but I dont think I will have it all together by then....next year.
Even with the smaller engine, she still goes like ****.
Best
Dave
 
Hi Gary
Very curious about where that RV ended up. I lusted for it at Stockton last spring but felt the repairs might overwhelm me. Glad you've brought it back to life.
Yes the log books were a trip back thru time w/ many entries of speeds well over 200MPH.
Good luck and enjoy to the nines! Will you keep that paint scheme?
Gary McNair
Granbury, TX
 
Paint scheme

Yeah, Im gonna keep the paint. It is "totally 80's" but not offensive. I had to do some serious work to the cowl, the new engine mount from Vans didnt match up perfect, there was firewall work to do, drilling, riveting, and such. That was a pain in the ***. The spinner ended up 3/4" low to the cowl when finished, so I had to cut, patch and glass the cowl to make it match. Ah, the joys of 30 yr old airplanes...
I have some "adjustment" to make on the wheel pants too, they dont line up with the bolt holes.
I just did a "best match" on the cowl paint with spray can from Lowes to get it kinda looking good. The Blue color is a fade from nose to tail which complicated things. I need to save up some money before I get "real painting" done, and at that timne I will have the cowl re-done, and to simplify I will have the blue done in one color from nose to tail. The wheel pants have the same red/yellow/blue scheme on them, once I am finished "adjusting" them, they will probably end up solid yellow to keep it simple.
A work in progress, but she has some histrical significance, so I will keep it mostly original.
Dave
 
Bakersfield Bunch RV-3

I had lunch with the original builder last week at the Rocket Cafe in Bakersfield. We discussed the history of his -3, and that it is coming back to life. I have known him since he built it, the -4 & HRII that came after. The HRII will be racing at Reno next week with it Canadian owner in it. The original builder is now very deep into giant RC models, with 4 or 5 jets, including an awesome A-10 Warthog, and several electric "pattern" competition aircraft that he has been taking to contests all over the west/southwestern states. He is one of the best early builders around. His -4 lives about 10 miles from me and I get a "hundred dollar" hamburger with the current owner once in a while.

David Howe
RV-4 S/N 1136
HRII S/N 002
RV-3B S/N 11226 Under Construction
 
Bakersfield Bunch RV-3

I will be in Reno next week...I will look for the Harmon Rocket in the pitts!
Thanks for the tip, David.
 
N66GB Returns home

After 6 months of work, a new engine mount/gear legs, cowl modification, transponder, prop overhaul, various electrical and instrument problems/fixes, and completely re-done wheel pants....N66GB is flying regularly and 2 weeks ago I flew down to Bakersfield to the Rocket Shop Caf? and had lunch with the builder, Gary. She was built in a hangar right there on the field in 1984/85 and it was really fun bringing her back and seeing all the RV history chronicled in the photos hanging in the caf?. It was a pleasure to meet John Harmon, he remembers the plane well.
Next up is a possible prop upgrade and when the funds become available I will get the paint patched up. But she is looking good, and flying fast!
jhvjtx.jpg
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Canopy Skirt Progress for Tony Boy

Since moving back to TN, we've been enjoying a flurry of building activity. Ben is working on his Panther wings, his dad and 14-year-old nephew are working on their S-19 wings, and I'm working on Tony Boy's canopy skirt, all in one corner of the hangar. We keep each other focused and busy. It's been great fun!

The skirt mold was done using Great Stuff foam and Crayola Air-Dry clay, all carefully covered by many strips of clear packing tape. Fiberglass layup is a lot of work, but it's been quite fun. The organic and sculptural nature of it is a great break from the mathematical part of building an airplane. I lost count of my time spent on this canopy, the frame, and the mold/layup, but it has to be a couple hundred hours by now. :eek:

IMG_20150221_112437352.jpg


IMG_20150227_155200056.jpg


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There are many more pics in the Picasa album linked in my signature... Probably too many pics! :p
 
Whose Canopy?

Katie -

Can I ask whose canopy it is - Todd's or ?

Any "special" instructions re/shape, height, tint, etc?

Thx

David Howe
S/N 11226
 
Katie -

Can I ask whose canopy it is - Todd's or ?

Any "special" instructions re/shape, height, tint, etc?

Thx

David Howe
S/N 11226

Its a Van's canopy of unknown age I bought secondhand here on VAF. It looks to have a very light tint, but is almost clear. It might look different because of the way its mounted. I didn't use a stock canopy frame. There is a metal edge prosealed around the base of the bubble, which is anchored to the frame in 4 places. The skirt will attach to the bubble/metal strip and the frame. This way, there is no hoop to conform to and the bubble has a more natural shape. Tony designed the frame and I rebuilt it pretty close to the way he had it except that my frame anchors are beefier.
 
Since moving back to TN, we've been enjoying a flurry of building activity. Ben is working on his Panther wings, his dad and 14-year-old nephew are working on their S-19 wings, and I'm working on Tony Boy's canopy skirt, all in one corner of the hangar. We keep each other focused and busy. It's been great fun!

The skirt mold was done using Great Stuff foam and Crayola Air-Dry clay, all carefully covered by many strips of clear packing tape. Fiberglass layup is a lot of work, but it's been quite fun. The organic and sculptural nature of it is a great break from the mathematical part of building an airplane. I lost count of my time spent on this canopy, the frame, and the mold/layup, but it has to be a couple hundred hours by now. :eek:

There are many more pics in the Picasa album linked in my signature... Probably too many pics! :p

Great to see you back at it! I use the oil based clay as it does not dry and shrink. Not too many pictures :) I am in the middle with construction of fiberglass cooling inlets and plenum cover - - fiberglass is a change of pace. Different things to learn.

Looking forward to Tony Boy III first flight!
 
Looks good Katie

Katie,
Great to see your getting to work on Tony Boy. We miss you at Z98, hope you get to fly up to our BBQ this summer. Say Hi to Ben

Gary
 
Finished the empennage

After 1 Year the empennage of my RV-3 is finished. Being a first builder it took probably a little bit longer (1200 hr).
I was curious wether the fairings can be attached without seeing the pop rivets.
With a little bit of grinding they are nearly invisible. I used the Stewart Systems EKO Poly Primer , ZC green, for the HS ,VS and the rudder. For the Elevators I used the EKO Poxy Primer. Both primers can be reduced with distilled water. It?s nice to work without solvents. You simply clean the spray-gun with warm water.
After some rearrangements in the shop I will start the SB wings in April.

Peter









 
Looks good. I especially like the cut-out of the bulkhead and the mounting bars.

I took a little less time for my empennage, 782 hours, but left the tips till later.

Good luck on the wings! On mine, the progress was good until I got to the leading edges - if I were doing it again, I'd simply bend them a little more myself to help get a better fit.

Dave
 
Engine Start...

RV3_First_Engine_Start_15May15.jpg


1st Engine run today: YouTube

An induction leak is suspected (which I know cause of) hence the "not quite smooth running". Apart from that, all seems to work :D
 
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