My first Kit RV6

In Dec 2007, I was hanging out with my airport friends telling them I was obsessing over my desire to build a plane. I was leaning towards a metal plane, because I just thought it would be easier to build. Van's Aircraft kits are very complete and well documented. There are so many flying, that it wouldn't be difficult to get advice from builders and owners.

It turns out that one of my new airport friend, Scott, tells me he has an RV-6 tail and wing kit in his hangar he wants to get rid of. Memorial Airfield in Arizona is removing all of its tenents, and apparently one of the displaced tenents had this kit since it was shipped on 12-27-93. The tail kit portion was started, but not complete. The wing kit was still in its original crate with the wire bands still attached! Best part of all, the price was a Big Thank You! Zilch-Zero!

What a way to start out! Of course I was aware that mucho $$ would have to be added to this free start!

Pic 1 shows how it was delivered to my home with Will's help

Pic 2 shows how dirty and neglected the kit was

Pic 3 shows Will and I ready to open the crate for the first since it was shipped 14 years earlier

Pic 4 shows my surprise that the shipping papers were present and readable

Pic 5 shows the excellent condition of the NON-PRE-PUNCHED ribs!

Many parts were in remarkably great shape, a few pieces had corrossion from exposure to the paper packing material. The wing skins were in OK shape.

Pic 1 shows the stabalizer and elevators after a simple soap-water wash

Pic 2 &3 shows me storing away the parts. I already had built 24" by 98" shelves in my garage. I simply cleared two shelves for the plane parts. Yup, its a 4' by 8' sheet cut long ways.

After I received the kit and discovered that this was an older non-prepunched kit, I had several "advisors" come take a look. While noone wanted to kill my spirits, it became obvious that this would be a difficult build for a first time builder and actually was contrary to why I decided on Van's Aircraft. This kit was not pre-punched and I'd have to order blueprint plans from Van's that had the correct hole punch pattern details. Hmmm... I may still work on this kit to both learn metal skills and have a static display???

Because I now have an RV7 tail kit.....