AFT FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION
As with all sections the aft fuselage starts with the detail parts.
Aft fuselage verticals were straight forward. I constructed a drilling
template to transfer from vertical lower and upper rivet hole locations.
Both templates were made with alignment keys to ensure accurate
clamping and transfer from part to part. It worked out really well and a
check of the completed components revealed a perfect transfer. This
saved me a lot of time.
template to transfer from vertical lower and upper rivet hole locations.
Both templates were made with alignment keys to ensure accurate
clamping and transfer from part to part. It worked out really well and a
check of the completed components revealed a perfect transfer. This
saved me a lot of time.
At Left are the left and right support beams and the #3 lower cross
tie just to name a few. At right is a close up of the #3 lower cross
tie. This cross tie feeds the control cables to the mixer.
tie just to name a few. At right is a close up of the #3 lower cross
tie. This cross tie feeds the control cables to the mixer.
The left and right side panels receive thier vertical members. All
verticals were double checked against measurments that were
marked on each of the upper longerons. The pre drilled skins and
center lined verticals alighned exactly as called for in the plans.
The pre drilled skins have sure saved a lot of time.
verticals were double checked against measurments that were
marked on each of the upper longerons. The pre drilled skins and
center lined verticals alighned exactly as called for in the plans.
The pre drilled skins have sure saved a lot of time.
As the lower cross ties were clamped in place. Metal Squares
and digital levels insured a level and square box structure. After
drilling and installing clecos alignment, Squareness and level were
all verified prior to installing rivets. All checked OK and riveting
of the lower cross ties was completed. Once the lowers were
riveted the fuselage was rotated, re-leveled and squared. Now
thw upper cross ties weree installed. The #1 Upper cross tie box
required trimming to enable the structure to come in to the
required 40 inches across at the bend line. Only 2 mm was
trimmed from each side at the top 1" of the cross tie box. Once
clamped in place the width was exactly 40" at the bend line.
and digital levels insured a level and square box structure. After
drilling and installing clecos alignment, Squareness and level were
all verified prior to installing rivets. All checked OK and riveting
of the lower cross ties was completed. Once the lowers were
riveted the fuselage was rotated, re-leveled and squared. Now
thw upper cross ties weree installed. The #1 Upper cross tie box
required trimming to enable the structure to come in to the
required 40 inches across at the bend line. Only 2 mm was
trimmed from each side at the top 1" of the cross tie box. Once
clamped in place the width was exactly 40" at the bend line.
I could not pass up the chance to see how the Y
tail looked on the fuselage. While I had the tails
up I checked cross measurments to the front
sides and each tail measured exactly the same
distance to the sides and cross checked..
tail looked on the fuselage. While I had the tails
up I checked cross measurments to the front
sides and each tail measured exactly the same
distance to the sides and cross checked..