Fuselage 25-02 to 25-05
Today started with reaming the holes for the bulkhead doublers. I wasn’t looking forward to this as I had read a few horror stories on other builders’ sites. I took Vans advice in one of…
Articles by Chris
Fuselage 25-02 construction
Riveted the side channels and doublers to the bulkhead bottom channel: Had to get a Ø3/8 bolt, to temporarily bolt the pairs of F-01405B Bulkhead Bars before double-flush riveting the bars together. The plans suggest…
Fuselage 25-02 priming
Fitted the nut plates to Aft & Forward Centre Section Bulkheads. Prepped and primed all the parts for the Forward Mid Fuselage Bulkheads. An all day job.. As you can see, space is getting a…
Fuselage 25-02 (still cont)
I think I have dimpled and countersunk everything that is required in the chapter so I’m now ready to prime before assembly. Countersinking the Aft Center Section Bulkhead and Forward Centre Section Bulkhead is slightly…
Fuselage 25-02 (cont)
Vans expect a bit more of you in the first few pages of the fuselage chapter as only one side of anything symmetrical is shown. The ribs in the image are all identical apart from…
Fuselage 25-02
Started deburring and separating parts before priming. This is going to be the theme for a while as there are a lot of parts in this section. Remember to wear gloves when you’re doing this….stab..ouch..expletive..
Aft fuselage – not quite
Had to climb back in to set the rivets that hold the forward bulkhead to upper skin rib. Managed to do these with the squeezer as I couldn’t face using the gun inside an amplified…
Aft fuselage 10-30 to 10-32
It’s finished! This has been a marathon but like all the sections, you always eventually get there. Upper side skins, and top skin riveted on. Getting inside the fuselage was fun, getting out even more…
Aft fuselage 10-29
Rib and stiffener back riveted to top aft skin. That is all.
Priming aft fuselage skins
A decent walk and I was up for the big spray. I did a lot more workshop prep this time as I’m sick of cleaning up smoke grey dust. The spray booth works but it…