Building an Evans VP-1 “Volksplane”
Introduction
Fritz Wagoner flying his VP-1 over the desert.
In June of 2004, after a few months of research and planning, I began construction of an Evans VP-1, also known as the “Volksplane”. This all-wood single-seat aircraft was designed to be easy to build and easy to fly. There is no kit, only a detailed set of plans, from Evans Aircraft.
I chose the Volksplane because it is built from materials I’m comfortable working with and the simplicity of the design appealed to me. Because there’s no kit, there’s no large up-front cash outlay; materials can be purchased when needed.
Slow and steady wins the race.
The Volksplane above is owned and being flown by Fritz Wagoner, who has graciously permitted me to use this photo (taken by his friend Morry Drexler from a Citabria). For more Volksplane photos, see my inspiration page, check out Fritz Wagoner’s Volksplane Page, or visit the Evans Aircraft web site.
I plan to take my time with this project, hoping to finish it over the course of several years. Working on it a bit at a time, it will eventually be finished. This is a bigger project than the model airplanes that I’m accustomed to, although it is in many ways very similar.
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Joseph Hammock
January 30, 2012
Just bought the VW 1600cc flat 4…gearing up to tackle this myself. What did you decide on for prop diameter and pitch? Somewhere around 52 X 28 Wood?
Ron Dunn
March 07, 2012
Hi,
This reply is not much help to your problem but I have just finished refurbishing a VP1 here in Australia and have replaced the old VW with an early Jabiru 1600cc engine running a wooden Jabiru prop of 54″x 38″
This engine puts out 60 hp and is lighter than most VWs.
Best of luck with your project.
MiguelCortes
April 26, 2012
yes just got plans to build volks1 i would like to know if they still sell templates to make the wings and stabilizer i hat them before but they were stolen from me
Michiel Onderstal
July 09, 2012
Hello Stefan,
At first my compliments for youre site! I,ll also want to build a VP1, and i,m wondering if i can juse a BMW R1100RT engine (80 HP) instead of a vw engine. What do you think? Both engine,s are air cooled anyway, so… Thanks allready.
Hernan matos
August 01, 2012
Hello,can I get the wood from other places than “Aircraft spruce specialty”?can I get same wood at home depot or Lowes? Thanks!
Stefan Vorkoetter
August 01, 2012
Hernan, you can get _some_ wood at Home Depot or Lowes. For instance, many of the (non-structural) pine pieces are from there. However, you will not be able to find aircraft grade spruce, fir, and plywood at those place. For that, you’ll have to go to an aircraft materials supplier.
bob phillips
November 18, 2012
Is it possible to use a 1200cc v/w engine for this project? many thanks
Stefan Vorkoetter
November 19, 2012
Bob, I think the original VP-1 flew with a 1200cc engine, but I think most VP-1 builders consider 1600cc a minimum.
Kim Brown
March 11, 2013
Hi
Have been involved in several builds, even started a vp-2 back in the sixties, but got married instead, now looking for an easy build, wood, removable wings, simple, want to buy Evan’s plans but need to make sure it has what I want, CG information. Could you tell me if the plans had CG info? Thanks.
Kim Brown
Jack Wyse
April 14, 2013
hi, I am a VW guy and restore the cars and trucks and buses, I love building
the engines and have always wanted a volksplane! I would like to buy one that
perhaps didn’t get finished or in good used condition. I’m not really interested
in building the whole plane! I have too many projects now! Can you direct me
to where I might find for sale, I don’t see a lot of them around!
thanks for any help, regards, Jack
G.Lords
June 04, 2013
Hi Stecan,
Can i take a vieuw one time at youre plane? Wan,t to take some mesurements. Thanks Mate! Greetz Gerald.
robert
June 10, 2013
I have the plans for the VP, but I am 6 feet 4 inches tall. I sat in one that was for sale…….. enough said. So I sat down with paper and pencil, and scaled up all the critical parts of the plans . Extended the fuselage by 4 inches between the spar centers, wider by 2 inches. I may actually build it someday.
Stefan Vorkoetter
June 10, 2013
Robert, expanding the fuselage between the spar centres means you need to expand the wing too. That’s a pretty major redesign IMHO.
robert
June 16, 2013
I spent a lot of time working on building the fuselage 4 inches in longer between spar centers, and I came up with a formula, it is a multiplier. .08, if I apply .08 to every dimension of the airfoil, I can scale up the airfoil so nothing changes , except fuselage length. A 50 inch airfoil becomes a 54 inch airfoil but it’s shape changes not a whit.
If you have a set of plans, go look at the airfoil page, and simply apply the formula. The shape of the airfoil will not change.