Blog

I re-installed the floors with enough screws to hold them securely and then proceeded to make the seat backs as shown on DWG 30.

The upright angle supports are made from 0.125 angle material (not 0.063!). The seat backs were very simple, but once the hinges were mounted on the bottom, they became “right” and “left.” I was careful to make one of each.

The F-638 Seat Back Braces were trimmed on the ends and the optional lightening holes were cut on the drill press with a fly cutter.

Time: 8 hours.

I made the F-741A-L&R Tunnel support covers and the F-741B from material as shown on DWG 30. I drilled holes in the lower flanges of the support only. These holes had to match the holes in the floors, so I measured carefully.

I then clecoed the supports securely to the floor and clamped the F-741B Tunnel Cover to the top flanges of the supports. I slid the cover forward until it contacted the slanted floor. I drilled and clecoed the single forward hole to the floor and checked to see that the edges of the cover and the support flanges were even, and then drilled the holes connecting the cover to the supports.

I riveted the tunnel cover to the supports. After this was done I removed the tunnel cover and forward seat floors and installed the nutplates in the seat ribs and around the stick cut-outs in the floors not forgetting the nutplate for the tunnel cover.

Time: 4 hours.

According to DWGS 25 and 30 I fit and drilled the F-739 and F-740 Forward Seat Floors to the seat ribs. These floors are removable to gain access to the control system, so they attach to the ribs with screws. The left floor (F-740) goes on first, with the wider right floor (F-739) on top.

Time: 2 hours.

I riveted the aft seat floor assemblies to the floor ribs.

Time: 2 hours.

The seats attach to the Aft Seat Floors by drilling them to the floor and fitting the hinges. The hinges have eyelets on both ends and two eyelets trimmed away in the middle. The aft edge of F-742 may go on top of the baggage floor, or between the baggage floor and the F-705 bulkhead.

Time: 4 hours.

I fit the F-748 Baggage Tunnel Cover and the F-749 Forward Baggage Side Covers. This required twisting it into position with the horizontal flange under the baggage floor. This cover is removable to provide access to the flap links and is held to the fuselage frame with screws.

I adjusted the flanges until F-749 fit correctly, match drilled the necessary holes and riveted on the nut plates.

Time: 6 hours.

I removed the baggage bulkheads and installed the nut plates on F-706. I notched F-652 and installed the F-6114 B & C Cable Wear Blocks.

I temporarily installed the baggage bulkheads on F-706. As some of the screws were difficult to install along the bottom, I ran a 8/32 tap through the nut plates.

Time: 3 hours.

While the top skins were still clecoed to the fuselage, I fitted and drilled the F-751 and F-652 corrugated baggage bulkheads to the F-706 bulkhead. I used the pre-punched holes in the lower F-751 bulkhead as guides, but had to locate and drill the holes up the side in assembly. The upper F-652 bulkhead was trimmed and drilled in assembly with F-706.

Time: 3 hours.

I riveted the Aft Top Skins to the fuselage.

Time: 4 hours.

After I clecoed the baggage floors back in, I drilled, deburred and dimpled for the inboard nut plates and riveted the nut plates and the floor covers in place. I left the forward row of rivets out for now, as these are common to the Aft Seat Floors which would be installed later.

Time: 3 hours.