The RV-8 is a highly polished member of the most prolific family of homebuilt aircraft ever made. N76540 is a beautifully built example with a unique history. The N-number tells the story of the builder (Eugene Gaddis) who served as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. The N-number stands for the jets that Gene flew during his time as a military aviator: 7 is for A-7, 6 – F106, 5 – F5, 4 – F104, and 0 represents the F-100 and the A-10.

In 2009 (while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom) Rifle heard of Gene’s passing and that his airplane would be available for purchase. As an A-10 pilot, the idea of owning/flying an airplane that was built by someone who flew as part of the original A-10 test team was very appealing. The fact that N76540 was built straight, light, and flies like a dream made it an easy choice.

• The last polishing job took more than 100 hours of labor - Since purchasing the aircraft, Joe has added inverted systems, smoke system, completely rebuilt the panel, installed upgraded restraint system by Hooker Harness, and added the current paint scheme.