Forward Fuselage Reassembly, Part 2 – 8 hrs

Saturday Aug 27, 2011

This morning I started by riveting the F-7101 Gear Attach Webs to the F-902 bulkheads and riveting the F-719 Stiffeners to the  F-719B Angle Clips.

Then I riveted the F-684 Gussets to the vertical firewall angles.

And riveted the F-719B Angle Clips to the firewall angles.

Then I installed the firewall with clecos along with the assorted stiffeners, longerons and bulkheads in the forward section. Then I could install the AN bolts that hold the lower longerons to the firewall brackets. I torqued and striped these bolts expecting to never take them off again.

Then I addressed the two center bottom skin stiffeners. I riveted the forward ends first. I could squeeze two but I had to buck the one most forward.

Then I riveted the aft ends. Same thing here, I could squeeze two but had to buck the most aft rivet.

No pictures but I spent some time prepping and priming the interior of the bottom front skin which I think will be ready to install soon. Then I installed some more nut plates.

OK, this thing is ready for an extended riveting session.

I started riveting a few rivets around the spar cutouts. A few I could squeeze but some must be bucked. Wouldn’t you know it, on about the forth rivet I was bucking solo I lost concentration on the gun side and dinged the skin. I hate when that happens. Well this area will be covered by the wing root so it will never show on the finished airplane but I still hate it. Well it’s 95 degrees in the garage and I am tired so I will take a break and pick up when I am fresh or have a riveting partner.