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RV-8 First Flight Today!!

Shotgun

Shotgun

Member
Greetings from Tucson,
Successfully conducted the first flight of my RV-8 today after about 8 years building. Delayed by moves to two different continents with the Air Force it is great to finally get her in the air. The aircraft is a tribute the 80th Fighter Squadron which I was a member of while stationed in Korea and the F-16 which I fly for "work". It sports a lycoming 0-360, CS Hartzell prop, some cool avionics, a little blood and tons of sweat. In the picture below you get two grins for the price of one with my daughter in her own RV-8 (the little one had it's first taxi considerably earlier than Daddy's)
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One of my friends beat me to the runway, doesn't he know this is my first flight?
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A shot from the chase plane of me with Davis Monthan AFB in the background.
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Bringing it back to KTUS
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Big thanks to Beetle Bailey for providing the chase ship, and Paul Merems for all the build advise. Thanks to Beercan for some RV-8 time and Cathy Page for the RV-6 landings

This day would have never happened without the hard work of my dad on the build. You the man T.O.M. !!!!
 
Congrats

Love the paint with the yellow accents. Great looking machine, thanks for your service.
 
Nice

Having first photo show daughter (And her RV front & center) tells me a lot. Welcome to the flying RV family. Congratulation for being a great Dad, your service to the U.S. & having a beautiful plane. Need panel pic now!!
 
Outstanding!

Congratulations! Way to go on a beautiful airplane!

When were you at the Kun? I was there 97-98. "What is good!?"
 
Looks awesome! But as a Juvat bird where's the Wolf Crainium on the vert? :D (Non-Kun folks see my avatar.)

Kunsan and 80th maintenance (Weapons Loading) repeat offender 1983-84 (then brand new Block 15 "A" model Vipers) and again in 1992-93 with slightly newer F-16Cs.

Your daughter has got the coolest pedal car in the whole neighborhood!

Congratulations on both builds!
 
Last edited:
06-07

In Korea 06-07. Crush Em'! Maybe I will have to add the Wolf, along with little C-172's for all the air to air kill on the nose....
 
A great experience

It was my pleasure helping you with your project and first flight. After all that is what the RV community is all about.

I was manning the handheld radio with tech manuals in hand and sitting with Shotgun's wife and daughter outside the tower at Tucson International for the first flight. It was great seeing the expression on Shotgun's wife and daughter's face when he took off. 8 years of anticipation, sweat and tears and he finally left the ground. His wife and daughter watched as he circled high above. We were talking about family and children for about 30 minutes and then "out of the blue" Shotgun was landing. From our perspective it was almost a perfect landing. With a big sigh of relief on his wife's and daughters faces, they waved with excitement as Shotgun taxied past on his way back to the hangar.

Minutes later we met back a the hangar got the debrief and celebrated with a nice lunch.

Shotgun, thanks for letting me be part of this wonderful event. It was another great day for your family and the RV community.
 
Time Flies...

Shotgun said:
In the picture below you get two grins for the price of one with my daughter in her own RV-8 (the little one had it's first taxi considerably earlier than Daddy's)
Click to expand...

Shotgun,
My kids helped me bang rivets on my RV-4 in our base housing shed at Misawa when I was there 88-92. I was flying with the 14th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Samurai" at the time and the Wing CC lived behind us. When he queried about all the "banging and loud sounds" coming from our shed I told him I was building "aluminum shelves". :)
Kids are both grown now, I have five grand-kids and they have all gotten an "RV ride with Grandpa". 23 years and 3000 hours later, It just keeps getting better..

Congrats bro!

V/R
Smokey
 
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