November 12, 2020
Started the day installing the end ER tank brackets which went pretty smooth. Next was a bigger challenge getting the outboard tank mounts positioned. This seriously took way longer than I would expect but it has to be tilted so gravity moves the fuel to the inboard side of the tank, the wing tips have to fit, and there has…
November 11, 2020
Started with making a vacuum adapter for sucking the metal flakes when drilling the holes for the main fuel tank bung. Drilling went well but I did spend about 45 minutes deburring, vacuuming, and cleaning the tanks. I think and hope I got everything. Then it was on to installing the ER tank fuel pumps, once I deciphered how everything…
November 10, 2020
With three of us working I bounced around a bit but my main focus was finishing the Vertical Stabilizer. I had some rivets on the rear spar before I could assemble and start the not so fun riveting which involved reaching way up inside the cavity for a number of hours. I also helped with the fuel valve/lines installation only…
November 9, 2020
Finished up the deburring of the holes, counter sinking spar holes, cleaning the parts, and finally priming them. Cue the riveting, today I seemed to not have my head on straight. Half the rivets had to be drilled out either due to incorrect assembly or crappy rivet setting. Ugh, one of those day. But I did get the rear spar…
November 8, 2020
Well almost, first I had to build a new stand for the wings for the install of the ER fuel tanks. The current stand supports the wings from the ends which obviously won’t work when sliding a tank on the outboard side. A couple hours later I feel good about the stability of what I built. Then the final bit…
November 7, 2020
I started by finishing up fabrication of the two brackets for the Elevator trim. Then on to cleaning and priming all of the parts. Queue the fun, assembling the pitch trim. This went smoothly until testing, the servo hit metal before reaching the internal stop. Need to think a bit about how to correct this, I can’t see any possible…
November 6, 2020
Laying in bed last night what pops into my mind but that I forgot to pull the wire through the wings for my extended range fuel tank pumps. Ugh, that could have been a pain. So guess what I started my day doing… Reading through the instructions and reviewing the excellent builders log by Robert Lussow I decided the tanks…
November 5, 2020
With the tail is good shape, my plan had been to bang out the Vertical Stabilizer but plans changes… Instead I ran the wires through the wings, mounted the Garmin Pitot tube regulator, and wired the Autopilot Roll servo connector. I got the cutouts finished for the rear air vents too. A productive day and now the wings are ready…
November 4, 2020
There is a lot going on at the end of the Tail section. Today was spend getting all the pieces prep’d, fitted together in the correct order, and preparing for riveting. Oh and riveting too. Too focused on riveting to snap any pictures. Shame. Shame. Shame.
November 3, 2020
After riveting the belly it was time to move on to the sides. More clecoing of J-channel and figuring out how everything lines up. Fun to see it coming together and looking like something. And nice that all of the rivets are accessible, unlike the Horizontal Stabilizer.
November 2, 2020
Started clecoing the belly skin to the skeleton frames. Then on to riveting, yes there are an enormous number of rivets in the tail section…
November 1, 2020
Started on the tail section on Halloween. I didn’t take a lot of pictures early on the process so this post represents 10/31 and 11/1. Brackets made, angle aluminum cut. Tons of parts to debur, J-channel to cut and match drill. A bit tedious…