Positioned Bottom-Center Skin (7V7-3) on Structure

Verified alignment of front edge against front spar Drilled & clecoed #40 approximately every 3rd hole in the skin/structure.  Much rolling/unrolling will be required to install longitudinal stiffeners.

Position and prepare stb wing for bottom skin (7V7-3)

Prepared to unroll bottom center skin (7V7-3) for trial positioning.  Much rolling/unrolling to adjust proper positioning on front spar.

Underside horizontal stiffeners in place

Install underside horizontal stiffeners.

Completed initial stiffeners instllation

All stiffeners clecoed in place

Install longitudinal stiffeners in win bays

Typical longitudinal stiffener installation (topside)

Used crimping tool to set the airfoil curve into the 6 stiffeners in of the stb. top skin.  Drilled and clecoed with #40. 

Fabricate Longitudinal Stiffeners

Bent 1.75" strips of 5053 0.032" aluminum sheet into L-angles for stiffeners.  Used 18" bending break from Harbor Freight.  Worked well if a little slow.  Bent stock for all 24 (6 upper and 6 lower each wing).  Placement will be centered in the open bays between the ribs running from rear channel to horizontal stiffener and from horizontal stiffener to front spar).

Prepare wing for longitudinal stiffeners

Wing structure in vertical position in order to install longitudinal stiffeners

Placed stb. wing topside down (still clecoed) on 2" sq. steel channels and started preparations for installing the bottom horizontal stiffeners between the ribs.  Much roll-out/roll-up positioning of top skin.  Able to get good fit and start drilling front spar/skin #40 and clecoing.

Method: Roll on/off wing skins

Technique for rolling skins on/off the wing structure

This is the method I used to roll/unroll the skin in place.  This gets done several times during construction.  I found that one end of the skin to the box keeps the skin in relatively good position so that I can work one end of the structure without totally removing the skin.  The method works pretty well for a one-man operation.

Stb wing top skin in place (7V7-2)

Positioned top-skin in place on worktable in vertical position in order to rivet top skin longitudinal stiffeners in place.

Installing Horizontal & Logitudinal Stiffeners in Open Wing Bays

Stiffeners - Topside skin (inverted)

Bottom skin Horizontal stiffener in place

Started adding horizontal L-angle stiffeners between the ribs (topside). L-angle is 0.75x0.75 L-angle (6063 aluminum). Will also add longitudinal stiffeners once the skin clecoed in place

Installed fuel tank channel (7V11-2K) & spar tip (7V3-3)

Fuel tank bay channel

Basic wing structure (Note tip nav/pos light wires)

Completed most of the basic wing structure by installing the fuel tank channel (7V11-2K) and the front spar tip (7V3-3).  All clecoed. Horizontal & longitudinal stiffeners will be added prior to tank installation & skinning.  Lots of drilling out to #30 and deburring in the future. 

Rear Spar Channel Sections Installation

Rear Channel Installation Tool clamped onto a main rib for positioning

Aligning the channel flush with the top and bottom rib surfaces

Channel end positioned on jig & rib

The various rear spar channel sections are installed between the ribs using the jig/alignment tool.  A 708mm length between the spar faces is maintained.  The aft end of the tool helps fix the 75 deg canter of the rear spar to match the profile of the wing chord.  Straight-edges are clamped along the upper and lower surfaces to maintain proper alignment during the drilling/clecoing process.

Rear Root & Center Section Channels (7V6-1)

Fabricating Rear Spar Channel Sections

L-Angle at one end ensures consistent lengths on all channel sections

Laid-out and assembled the rear root channel with heavy wing/fuselage attachment doubler.  Laid out and assembled heavy center section channel.  Trimmed tip channel (7V6-2SP) to 45 deg. to accommodate wing tip plate.

Rear Spar 600mm sections (7V6-2SP)

600mm 7V6-2SP Rear Spar Section (typical, 4 locations)

L-angle end - position fixed by jig

Laid out and assembled 4 identical sections (7V6-2SP) of the rear spar for installation between ribs 2-3, 2-3, 4-5, and 5-6.

Trial alignment of top-skin (7V7-2) to basic wing strusture

Initial top skin positioning.  Note a single horizontal stiffener in place.

Unrolled onto structure (root end)

Unrolled onto structure (tip end)

Unroll top skin into position.  Much use of duct-tape and much shifting & aligning.  

Build Rear Spar Alignment Tool/Jig

Rear Wing Spar Alignment Tool

Rear Wing Spar alignment Tool - Aft Channel End

1st tool built did not perform well. Spar angle too great.  2nd tool works much better.  Added metal stiffener to allow repeated drilling operations.  Also added an L-angle to allow some clamping in place.

Position & install wing root nose rib

Root nose rib placement

Root nose rib doubler spanning nose and main ribs across the spar.

The wing root nose rib is positioned flat against the bottom of the root main rib and spar by clamping a straight edge along the bottom of the spar.  The root main rib has been removed for alignment.  The nose & main ribs will be riveted together using A5 rivets after deburring and corrosion protection.  A doubler will be positioned on the root end of the rib as well.  Note that A5 rivets are required because of the thickness of the spar.

Install wing tip to forward spar

Positioning wig tip on forward spar

Tip-Spar overlap (from above)

Install wing tip section to forward spar.   Note that thee is no spacer or doubler in the gap outboardboard of the tip/spar overlap.  This will be held in place by the wing skins.

Basic wing structure ready for rear spar channel installation

Basic wing nose and center ribs clecoed in place ready for positioning of the rear spar channel using the installation tool.

Stb Wing nose & main ribs

Wing rib installation - Rib # 1

 

 

Wing rib installation - ribs 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Install nose and main ribs to starboard wing spar

Stb Wing nose ribs and spar doublers

Stb Wing Spar and Ribs

Stb Wing Stiffeners

Stb Wing Nose Rib Installation

Laid out positions for spar doublers/stiffeners and nose ribs.

Starboard Wing - Parts ID & Layout

Located, identified, sorted, and labeled all wing components (starboard and port). Researched location of AOA vane and pitot assembly (decided on port wing). Will start with starboard wing

Slat Support Brackets Installed on Wing Nose Ribs

Slat Support Bracket & Wing Nose Rib in Jig

A Complete Slat Support Bracket- Wing Nose Rib Assembly

Set of Starboard Wing Nose Rib-Slat Support Assemblies

Completed fabrication and installation of all slat support assemblies to the wing nose ribs (7V1-1).

Build Slat Support Fixture

Slat Support Build Fixture

Wing Nose Rib in Position to Fix the Slat Support Position

Slat Support Parts in Jig for Riveting to Wing Nose Rib

Prepared slat support positioning fixture.  Completed 1st nose-rib/support assembly.

Completeed All 4 Slat Assemblies

Starboard Slat Pair

Port Slat Pair

All 4 Inboard and Outboard Slat Assemblies

Finished all slats by adding fiberglass tips.

Completed Starboard Outboard Slat Assembly

Positioned port outboard slat in jig for clecoing/riveting underside skin.

Starboard Outboard Slat Construction

Positioned and clecoed slat ribs to port outboard slat skin.

Completed Starboard Inboard Slat

Finished starboard inboard slat using jig to position underside skin for clecoing/riveting.

Jigging Starboard Inboard Slat

Starboard inboard slat skinning using slat jig.

Starboard Slats Assembly

Slat positioned in jig for clecoing underside skin

Somewhat warmer today so I'm back on slat construction. Clecoed (copper) exterior ribs with slat mounts onto the starboard-outboard skin panel. Strapped assembly to jig and positioned/clecoed (silver) skin top to the slat ribs. Slight crease at leading edge of center rib. Unstrapped and worked the crease out with rubber mallet. Looks good. Re-strapped; alignment was perfect. Strapping into jig to insures slat airfoil by adding the trailing edge (7S1-5).

Pre-Install Firewall/Nosegear Spring Assembly

Pre-Install Trial Fit Nose-Gear to Firewall

Lots of parts attach to the firewall and all seem to cross, overlay, or abut so rivet locations must be checked and adjusted against the adjoining parts. Check & double-check locations. Clecoed channel doublers (7F7-8C) in place for the steel sprig arms pin. Drilled out pin holes (5/8" dia) through both 7F7-8C doublers and the 7H7-2C channel. Located and scribed position for the steering arms pass-thru on either side of 7H7-2C. Prepared Rear (7F8-4) and Front (7F8-5) Lower Bearing plates. Nylon Lower Bearing (7H7-4C) will need to be split for mounting to the twp parts of the lower bearing plates so that the nose gear assembly can be removed.