Riveting the Forward Side Skins

Before the F-770 forward side skins could be riveted to the fuselage framework, there was a laundry list of small tasks that had to be completed.

First I completed the necessary dimpling or countersinking on the F-770 skin and underlying structure.

Then I removed the F-796B and clecoed the F-796C & D spacers to the F-796B angle. I aligned part edges and match-drilled all the holes through F-796C & D using the holes in F-796B as guides.

The skin was removed and the F-684 Gussets were riveted to the vertical firewall angles as shown on DWG 23, Detail A. I riveted the F-7101 Gear Attach Web to the F-902 bulkhead (DWG 23, Sect G-G’.)
I then riveted the F-719 and F-719B Stiffener and Angle Clip to the vertical angle of the firewall.

I clecoed the angle and spacers back in the fuselage and removed the parts and set them aside for later installation.

I ‘pre-riveted’ the F-704H Center Section Side Plate (DWG 11) to the F-770 skin. A few key rivets were set at this time, because they would have been very difficult to reach when the skin was installed on the fuselage. These rivets were right next to the spar entry cut-out. I set the upper five rivets forward of the spar cut-out, and left the lowest one open … it was riveted later when the skin went on. I then set the six rivets aft of the spar cut-out.

When the preparations were complete, I riveted the F-770 side skins to the fuselage, starting at the F-704 bulkhead and working fore and aft. I then finished riveting the F-772 skins.

I completed riveting on the aft fuselage that had not been finished yet. I remembered to rivet the skins to the main longerons with only the rivets specified. The rest of the holes needed to be left open to attach the top skins.

Time: 8 hours.