Aft Fuselage Left Skin Almost Complete

There aren't too many more days required here before I need to pack it all away and work towards a larger hangar.

Today, I completed the left Aft fuselage skin.

I've previously mentioned I was a little worried how the rear of F-01473 side skin (image below) was going to sit on the F-01479 Aft Bottom Skin. The instructions tell you put a slight bend along the bottom edge of the F-01473 Side Skins where they curve around, so they seat well over the surfaces they're riveted to. The photo above is probably the best photo (on this page) that shows that.

NOICE!!

(I still should've left the blue plastic protective coating on)

Horizontal Stabiliser Rear Spar Riveting

The Horizontal Stabiliser has been sitting down the side for quite a few months as I'd created an issue with one of the small tabs on the inside of one of the ribs in a difficult place to get to.

Today, the expert dropped around to help me fix it. Unfortunately, I didn't take any shots of the fix although I'm fairly sure I included some photos of the broken tab. What we did to fix it was to make another small reinforcement plate that the set rivet clamped down on, holding the damaged tab firmly in place between it and the skin.

Getting ready to finally rivet the rear spar on after all these months.

There they are - all done!!

Another piece to find a long term storage location for.

Oh, that's right - I don't have anymore space.

Need to sell this one and buy a bigger shed....I mean, hangar

Left Aft Fuse Cover Plate

All nut plates on the left inspection panel complete.

I actually found the rivet gun and bucking bar easier in this case as I had plenty of places around the rivet to brace the bucking bar. That and turning the rivet gun pressure down a little made it much easier to modulate and create a better set rivet.

The screws aren't quite flush. Not critical right now, but I do want them sitting more flush than they. I'll most likely just make the correct size holes in the perspex panels when I make them.

This photo shows them raised just a little.

Ah, that's right - page 10-14 would explain it...

Looks like I have more parts to buy..........next order.

Elevator Counter-weights & Insp Panel Nut Plates

Ah, the big lead blocks - I mean elevator counter-weights.

Bogged the band saw down a little, but they're actually fairly soft and easily cut.

I probably should've taken some shots of the cutting process. I used my band saw which did an ok job even if it did get a little warm.....

ok, HOT - I couldn't hold it even with gloves on.

Once the main shape was cut, I'd trim the edges with a knife as the lead is just like silver frozen butter.

Below is the inboard side of the right E-903 Tip Rib

...and the outside...

I thought this was as good a time as any to install the nut plates around the inspection panel. A mate Steve, mentioned he'd seen perspex panels installed to replace the aluminium ones from Vans. This makes a lot of sense as the bolts inside are fairly critical. The perspex panels would make it very easy to inspect during every pre-start walk-around.

I decided to install the nut plates that allow a countersunk screw on the outside Expensive little buggers, but worth it from my perspective.

Elevator Trim Tab Servo

This is the dimpled trim tab mounting plate.

Riveting the E-01409 servo supports

Supports attached.

Thought I'd better see how it fits at the point.......perfect!

....aaaaaaand riveted.

I had an interesting chat with Vans via email about the washers in this next photo. The story goes:

• As there are no labels or markings on the washers themselves, when I received the bag of bits Vans, when confirming the original inventorying, I divided up the washers according to the quantities listed as the different types were different quantities.
• I didn't chase the dimensions online to confirm.
• As per this drawing...

• .....I should be installing two of NAS1149FN432P washers. According to my count, they are the larger inner diameter washers that slip straight over the MS20392-1C11 pin which sort of defeats the purpose.
• The image below shows how I aligned the washers according to what was in the packet.

• The smaller washer (according to me) was the NAS1149FN416P - which fits perfectly, and was actually the one I installed while awaiting a response from Vans.
• Within 12hrs, they responded with a shortcut to Aircraft Spruce which has a nice chart showing all the washers, dimensions and even has little pictures.
• This confirmed I seem to have the wrong quantities of washers in my kit. I now need to read ahead and see where the others are used and ultimately find out what the discrepancy is as something isn't right.

Anyway, this is how the trim servo push rod looks attached...

These are the pins that go into the non-siliconed end which I've soldered on.

And this is how the trim tab sits after connecting the other end of the trim tab servo rod to the trim tab. I now need to power it up and get it straight.

Right Elevator Trailing Edge / Trim Tab

Time to do some more double flush rivets on the elevator trailing edges.

Had to lift the back plate to ensure the underside was flush with it.

Putting a strip of tape along the top side was just to limit any marks on the skin that the rivet gun may decide to leave.

Very clean and very straight = very happy :)

If I put a long straight edge next to the trailing edge, I'm sure I would see some minor 'waves' in it, but you have to look hard.

Fit's nicely too. The little hole for the safety wire has been drilled below, but I won't worry about that this year.

Ahh, left elevator and trim tab almost done.

The plans said to fill in the back of the connector with silicon. Not really happy with how it turned out but I should've practised on something else first. I'll no doubt go back to this at some stage and put a better looking finish on it - it's sealed though.