airframe damage

BI think I know the answer, but I'll ask anyway. I'm considering a salvage project. The plane hit a ditch hard. Crumpled the lower firewall, wrecked the mount and there's a crease in the firewall aft of the right wing (see picture). Can the fuselage be repaired or is it just too much work to re-align and re-skin?



Also... on the right wing, leading edge is crushed which is fine. But the aft sheet has a slight oil can. Does that mean the spar is bent? (see picture)




Thanks!

-Bruce

A friend is finishing up a rebuild of an -8. One wing hit something in the area of the fuel tank, hard enough to drive the rear spar into the fuselage at least 3 or 4 inches. He spliced the rear spar carry-through, replaced the fuselage skin from windscreen back to behind the rear spar, and rebuilt the wing with a new tank & leading edge. IIRC, the spar had ~ 1/8" of deflection (at the tip) to the rear, bent just outside the attach points. He was able to straighten it in a big hydraulic press after he drilled it off the main part of the wing. The new skin holes lined right up.

A -4 would likely be a bit tougher, though, since they aren't pre-punched.

Charlie

Not too difficult really

Since the -4 plans are intended to allow a build from scratch the repairs should be relatively easy. This is one good factor in a non-prepunched kit. The spars can be repaired using the methods laid out in 43-13. Been there - done that!

The salvage price had better be really attractive!

Carry on!
Mark

If you want a project, there is a damaged RV-8 on my field for sale for $35k.

The 200 hp IO-360 gas been overhauled, new QB wings still in the crate, new CS prop, and lots of other parts.

PM or email me, if you want the details.