Fuselage - 4
"Do you realize if it weren't for Edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight?"
--- Al Boliska
We now turn our attention to the aft
cone....
The aft cone is the
section behind the seats.
We start by pinning the
bulkheads to the bottom skin of the aft cone.
Skins are added.
This process requires
several clecos.
Not to be forgotten,
stringers that run from the aft bulkheads all the way up to the front
bulkheads provide additional alignment and support to the structure.
Stringers
are also match-drilled with the skins and ribs.
This line was drawn on the
stringer prior to drilling the holes. Our placement was right-on!
The trailing edge of the
cone has much smaller bulkheads.
Rivets on such a small
curved surface can be a challenge.
This picture shows
rivets of one of the larger bulkheads to the bottom skin.
Finally, the stringers
and bulkheads are riveted on.
The longerons we bent a
while ago when we began the fuselage must fit along the edge where the top
of the side-skins meet the bulkheads. A notch in each is required for it
to fit.
Cool!
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