RV-1 N5827N History!!

OK, let me tell you a little story.....

Yesterday morning, I headed over to Crosby, TX on the east side of Houston, to a little private strip named Dunham Field to do a Tech Counselor visit for an RV-6 builder by the name of Chuck Elsey. It was a short flight and a wonderful place to visit - dew in the beautiful grass as I dropped between the trees and touched down and rolled to a stop. Chuck welcomed me to the field and said "before we take a look at my project, I'd like to show you another airplane, over here in the owner's hangar".... He opened the back roll-up door, and in the shadows, tucked behind a Cessna, I saw....THIS:



My jaw dropped as I walked around and saw THIS painted on the canopy skirt....



I realized suddenly that I was in the presence of history....this little tube and fabric airplane was described to me as Van's first homebuilt - the heavily modified Playboy that eventually beget the line of airplanes we all build and fly today. Chuck can probably fill in more details than I can, and he is the one that took these pictures (all I had with me was my cell phone, and the pictures were pretty bad), but from what I understand, the airplane has gone through several owners, and currently is in a partnership. It is down right now waiting on a new prop after the original was bent in a ground loop. It seems that Van had created an Experimental propeller from a Sensenich that had been cut down and heavily re-pitched, and the current owners can't get a shop to touch it - so they are looking for something that will give the airplane the same magic that it had with the original.

I was just astounded to find this little gem sitting in a hangar near Houston - never thought I'd see the progenitor of so much flying metal right in my own back yard.

For a few more pictures, take a look here


I sure would like to find out more of the history of this craft - I bet others know a lot about the path it took to Dunham Field - and maybe they can share that knowledge here!

Paul

First RV

Wow Paul that is so cool. I am looking forward to heaing more about this plane.

wow.. history indeed!

Interesting the discharge from the back of the side cheeks into the low pressure area above the wing.

Looks like it "Should" work but that feature was gone by the RV4 at least.

What a great find!

Cheers

Frank

A little back history.

For Paul and all of the others. Dunham Field is owned by Terry Dunham. Dunham field is where the cherokee I am working on my license with is based. Actually, right next door to Chuck's RV. Terry is a partner on a Cessna with the owner of the RV-1. I have met the RV-1 owner before and he is a nice guy but I can not remember his name at this time. Last year as he was leaving a gust of wind popped up and caused the plane to ground loop. The main gear, belly skin and cowl were damaged. It has slowly been coming back together and looks like it should fly again very soon. I will try to be a little better with the updates.

Thanks Paul

Paul, thanks again for posting these pictures and also coming to inspect my plane. Yep, RV1, that's what I walk past everyday to go work on my 6. Who would have ever thought that little airplane would have led to all this? I have seen this airplane fly, and it really does well. Ted owns it and it looks like it's going to stay that way for awhile.

Justin, you need to come see my RV6. The "end" is in sight. Starting to load avionics, airframe is finished.

I will try to get by some time. My fuse kit came in so I have been tied up with it.

Very interesting how the cowl cheeks have cooling air outlets in them. Getting air to flow at high speed requires a good outlet as well as inlet. Maybe the cooling just wasn't required for the -3 and -4?

TODR

we had a playboy

at school and it was donated because it was such a dog to fly. i did my fabric repairs on it. it had struts on the wings as i recall. who would have ever thought so much could evolve from the playboy. lucky us i suppose.