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The steps... how'd they fit?
According with the assembly manual, we should not think about those steps
until much later in the project. But my friend, Fernand, told me that it
is pretty hard to install those when the plane is built (you have to work
loosely and under the fuselage. I then decided to go ahead and install
them right now when it is easy to do. |
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But.... SH.T!
The first thing I noticed is that my steps are not made to
specifications. The side plate should be installed at 80 degrees from
the bottom tube and mine were more like 87 degrees. I brought those
parts to my favorite welder who made the correction for a nominal
charge. |
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Steps installed to fuselage sides
I drilled from inside the fuselage out in the step plate (for the bottom and
right side rivet rows). Care must be taken to avoid the edge of the
longeron when drilling the diagonal rivet row. Thanks to pictures of
other projects, I noticed that detail before drilling my parts! |
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Spring brings some friends
What you see is what we call "mouches noires" (black flies).
These little insect bite and they are not very much fun (except for fishermen
who probably get used to those). I had a light left in my fuselage and
the flies, not having an impressive I.Q. were going on the light to get burned
and die. OK... back to business! |
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The extrusions
The two steps are attached at the center of the fuselage with these
extrusions. |
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Covering up the nice work
I bent this fairing between two pieces of 2X4 spaced about 3.5" by
pushing an ABS 1-1/2" onto the aluminum sheet. Then, I bent the two
flanges and cut it to proper length. I tried to have a longer rear side
than forward side (so it reduces drag), but I missed it... The result is still
quite nice. |
