This is a photo album of my RV - 4.

I will be putting notes and explanatory pictures as I build this air plane.

E - Mail Me

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Painting








The last photo is the only one that depicts colour accurately. The rest look like beige. It is actually a fine metalic light grey with a low gloss.  It looks 30's aviation "Old Skool" and I am happy as can be.

I used Dupont 2K and super etch primer.





Quantities

On the forum a poster says the RV-8 is 310 ftsquared. I used a 5 litre tin.

UPDATE: I had some touchups to do on the wing tips and wheel fairings. The paint appeared as good as new. Seems to be going off OK. Nearly exactly two years since the buy by date. Dunno what the specs are. I am just about getting the hang of painting now.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Exhaust

Whilst the Vettermans is a breeze to install there are a few pointers.

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=57449257001

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Looks like an airplane.

Putting the prop cowls and wheel pants on looks speccy. There are still plenty of little details that need sorting out yet.








Saturday, January 26, 2013

To Do / To Buy

Elevator trim cable is too short.
Setup elevator end stops. Manual is not very clear on this.
Alternator / Generator Drill Mounting bracket.
Cabin Heat Muff ?
Cabin Air Vent
Pump for Brake Bleed.
Stall Warning Sender / Lamp
Angle Drill
Watyl Primer
Washers Engine Mount Upper


$ :
1 x ICOM 210A
1 x Stud on starter
2 x 3/16 bore 3.8 HEIM 3614M Rod End - Aileron Push Rod
1 x VA111 Threaded Rod End - Aileron Push Rod
1 x Nut on Exhaust Clamp - not nylock
 4 x Washers Engine Mount Upper
2 x Rudder Cables - lifed out - F-452-LX166
1 x Clevis End - Elevator Trim            
1 x PPT Switch
1 x Push Rod - same thread as AN3 - Rear Throttle
1 x 2 inch hose clamp / Carby Heat Muff.
1 x 44 inch Hinge Canopy Rail
Tacho Cable firewall fairlead


Spar Bolts:
14 x NAS 1306-30
2 x NAS 1306-32
2 x NAS 1304-30
2 x NAS 1304-32
16 x AN4-17A
12 x AN4-16A
1 x Fuel Cap
2 x O rings spares
2 x Fuel Qty Sender

Steam Guages / Oil Pressure Port

This caused a fair bit of angst. 



By the time I had identified the oil pressure port I had already put the engine mounts/Lord Mounts / engine on the firewall. The oil pressure takeoff is in a bastard spot just under the top engine mount and it is seized.  You cant install an oil pressure fitting in that place without removing the engine anyway. You need a 45° fitting there and you can't install a 90° because of interference with the engine block. Heat from a blowtorch gently applied is the go for loosening the plug.  I used a butane torch till the paint scorched and smoked it took some  torque but cracked ok.

You then need to tap the port since the NPT taper thread will only do up a few turns. Finish with a non hardening Loctite 567 type sealer. 

Reinstalling the engine is a real chore unless you hang the engine from the block and tackle and put the fuselage straight and level. It will either fight like hell or go straight on. Be pateint and get the job lined up right.

37 degree / spherical insert ?

I have a Fuel and Oil Pressure Gauge. I want to plumb them using a 37 degree flared fitting. They have a concave seal in the back of the guage male fitting.

I was thinking about spinning up a male 37 degree / spherical brass insert and running a hole through the middle on my mates lathe but it seems extraordinary and fiddly operation.

Is there a better way of doing this ?





Wednesday, January 23, 2013

RV-4 Fuel Pump Overflow Fitting

RV-4 Fuel Pump Overflow Fitting. Even though I bought the special fuel pump overflow fitting that Van's sells, I had no clearance between the fitting and the firewall.  I hit the firewall with an angle grinder and gain 1/4 inch strong clearance without causing damage to the underlying brackets.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Gascolator - where to mount it?


Empenage

When I fitted my HS I found that the inboard edges interfered with the fuselage when it was bolted on. Had I allowed 1/4 inch extra they would have been fine. As it is I had to file out the flanges to prevent it chaffing on the fuse skin. I dont have a photo but can take one if it would help.


It took a day and was quite fiddly getting everything lined up but I got the empenage installed.

Lining up the elevator and rudder rod ends and installing the bolts is hell fiddly too. I dont think there is an easy way. The camlock instal tool is hand for putting over the bolts and squeezing them into the bracket / rod end  hinge points.



TO DO : The two forward facing bolts and an extra hole / bolt need to be installed / torqued.  Gonna do it at the same time as I fit the pitot static. Chains for the tailwheel steering.

The fuselage gets narrower every time I crawl in. Hopefully this will be the last.

sb06-9-20.pdf               Trim Cable Anchor   Service Bulletin
 
WD-415-1              TRIM CABLE ANCHOR            $8.60
 
   Bugger ! This is a PIA - I just got done installing the elevator and would rather not mess with it. If, however, that were to snap off it could lead to a fatal loss of control. It really should be retro fit.To make matters more complicated the trim cable is too short by about a half inch at the quadrant. The turn into the HS end rib is quite sharp. If slack were found in the cable it would mean securing the quadrant end to the forward not the aft section of the spar carry through bulkhead - nasty fiddly stuff.

The elevator control stop setup is shown in DWG 30 and the limits are 30 up / down.

Brakes



Ordered : RV-4 BRAKE CONVERSION PLASTIC TO ALUM CONV. 

Plumbed from the brakes to the master cylinders. Now need the elbows to go on the low pressure side.

Now to figger out how to bleed the system.

Prop / Spinner

Got the prop and spinner mounted this week end quite a fiddly time consuming job. Lots of cut and try.



A big cheerio to Mick Muller over in Sheparton and Jodie for helping me out with this prop. Drinks on me guys !!

Invincible Airscrews Pty. Ltd.,
(David Green & Ken Adams)
See note P.O.Box 62,
Mortdale, N.S.W. 2223,
Australia
Tel/Fax : +61 2 9153 0764
Fax or mail communications are preferred


Markings:
Lycoming O - 320
DRG NO 30 - D - 68
D   5.75' P 5.75'
NO I A 8343
NOV 1998

The spinner is a sod to paint as it seems to perfect shape and size for sags and runs. Best to lay it on it's side and do it in a couple of stages.

Canopy REDUX

Since I busted my canopy.

I got  Todd's Canopies to build me a new canopy which set me back $360 USD. It looks great !! I asked him to build it a little taller so as I had a bit of head room. The old one I was hitting my head when sitting tall.


Todd Silver is a delightful bloke to deal with. Very enthusiastic and helpful.

The next challenge will be determining how much of the old canopy frame will be usable and how to fair off the rear end. I have seen them done by squaring off the skin rear of the canopy from bow leaving an inch or so of overlap and simply weather sealing a aluminum strip over the perspex to the aft of that to the top of the fuselage. Much as guy do with the wing root fairing


Sika 295 UV.





Leaking Fuel Tank

I filled up the fuel tanks with water to leak test them. One of them leaked through the back of the fuel quantity sender. No problem I will replace them both - they have been lying around a while. The other leaked out of the outboard rear baffle seal with the rib. Nasty.

There is a thread on Van's Airforce - http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=95262&highlight=leak&page=2 dealing with prophylaxis - rather fiddly and more likely to cause problems IMHO.

However it does have some input from pros and alludes to industry practice. There are products that do this task and apparently an A and  B class sealant. B is a top coat apparently. The Tech specs are here and time to do some research I guess.  http://www.ppg.com/coatings/aerospace/sealants/sealantsproducts/Pages/FuelTank_StdTech.aspx