17/08/2007 - Skinning the Vertical Stabiliser

I was looking forward to another good day on the aircraft, and I enjoy putting the skin on a part for the first time.  So without much of a do, work started putting the skin on the stabiliser.

All the skin was then match drilled, and once done it was time for the skin to come off again !  The sub-structure was taken apart and the lengthy task of deburring, smoothing, and dimpling began on the sub structure.  No mistakes this time (phew).

The doubler also required countersinking at the bottom so that it would mate flush with the fuselage at a later date.  A little help from the microstop unit got them done.  I also decided that I needed to go a hairs width deeper than the head of the rivet to allow for the spar dimples to rest flush together.

Bernard from next door came round and gave a hand dimpling the skin as he had done when I dimpled the skins for the horisontal stabiliser.  It really helps when there are two of you for this job.

The Vertical Stabiliser is ready for priming

17/08/2007 - Starting on the Rudder

Well its back to the days when I was doing practise kits but now its for real.  Started on creating the stiffeners for the right hand skin.  8 in total just for the one side.  They all need cutting, trimming, filing and scotchbrighting so quite a bit of work really.  Anyway the rest of the afternoon soon slipped away and 8 stiffeners were created for the right hand skin.  Looks like tomorrow will be the left side !