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My old boss (and current friend) built this RV-4 some years ago. He used the sliding canopy conversion and even made an open cockpit conversion that replaces the canopy for when he's in the mood for some open cockpit flying.

Here he is doing his best beaten down lacky impression-

len.jpg

and here's the plane by itself-

(that's my Z in the background)

lensRV.jpg

I did all the fiberglass work and some of the markings. It was pre- September 11th, so the VX 911 was a reference to the state of affairs that the pilots of this fictitious squadron would find themselves in (emergency!) and also to the whole "Dial 9-1-1 when you're in trouble" idea. The "VX" came from the fact that it's an "experimental" aircraft. He built it over some 10 years in the back of the hobby shop that he and his wife owned in Petaluma, CA.

Pete

Edited by Impatient Pete
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  • 2 years later...

My first thought when I read 'Vans' ...

Vans.jpg

Anyone that grew up in So Cal in the 80s would understand ...

Lovely little aircraft, Ross and Pete !

Ross, have a great time when you get the chance to go up ...

Gregg

Edited by GreyGhost
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:D Good shots Pete. I like the inscription on the side. I have been offered a ride in the RV-8 but it'll be a couple of Saturdays before I'm able to get to the airfield again. Should be good for some aerobatic photography.

:cheers:,

Ross.

Did you ever get this ride Ross ,and if so, did you get any piccies for US...I only saw this thread now Alomost 2 years later... :o :sunrevolves:

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:thumbsup: Ooooooooooh!! I'd love to get behind the controls of that!!!. That 'pit (mainly the throttle quadrant) makes the PA-140 I learned to fly in look very primitive!!!. It looks like it would be a real kick in the arse to take for a run around the local area in. What's the fuel consumption like. Please don't let me hit the lotto or that man will be selling another one. If I can't find a way to make my way into it on foot..I'll have a crane made to lower my Wheelchair into it. There aren't many GA birds that I fall in love with at first sight, I am with this one.
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  • 1 year later...

:D, G'day HOLMES,

Unfortunately I haven't had the time to approach the owner again. I've seen the aircraft out on the tarmac and flying around but I've always been doing other things at the time, like most recently flying myself in one of the Aero Club's Cessna 152s. He taxied out and took of ahead of us the last time I went flying and that was the last time I've seen the aircraft outside its hangar. I haven't flown for a couple of weeks now but will be taking my first ever flight in a medium haul commercial airliner in a couple of weeks. I've been doing so much overtime lately because I live close to work that I just want to get away for a few days so that if they ring me up to come to work I can say "find someone else, I'm in Queensland". I'm planning to take a flight to North Queensland to have a look at another potential project. This one is a 1:1 scale real one that I've been looking for for some time now and saw recently in a magazine. These are now ultra rare and made only in Australia, although I have seen one or two in articles that have migrated overseas.

:cheers:,

Ross.

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