We saved Mike Will's 13B powered RV4 from dismantling.
The new owner wanted the RV4 airplane but not the rotary.
We talked him into selling it to us, as is, with the rotary.
We flew UAL standby to Minneapolis, rented a one way truck
and drove it back to California.
All went well except for this.
In Liberal Kansas We found the blocks holding the main's in place came
loose in the 22 ft truck.
The anchors on the wall of this truck would pull
out by the roots if we put any load on them. It was designed for moving
furniture and not airplanes or vehicles.
What we did was go to a DoIt Center and bought two 2 by 4s 8 feet
long and used them as levers to lift the main gear and move the fuse
back where it should have been with the help of a DoIt Center employee.
I used rope around the brake disks.
I then made a 2 by 4 frame with dry wall screws to hold the tires
centered. The frame went from wall to wall. It worked great
as it needed no help from the anchors. The back roads of Kansas are
unbelievable
rough. Without the frame the airplane would always hop
to the low side of the truck.
The airplane was in too many pieces to put it back together and fly
it back.
Now the problem is getting it out of the truck.
Paul Lamar
Ahhh...the mystery is revealed! */
_That's_/* why you wanted the RV-4
preview plans!
Congrats on saving this wonderful airplane from the Lycoming chop shop,
and best wishes on getting it back together and in the air.
Moose
That's a good looking plane.
Brian Trubee
Mike did an amazing job stuffing everything under the narrow cowl.
One of his tricks was extending the oil pan back behind the engine about
5 inches. The oil cooler is mounted in its own duct under the rad.
The duct was made in a female mold and was vacuum bagged carbon fiber.
A small alternator is mounted behind the engine.
Paul Lamar
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