The fuselage sides clicked into position nicely … amazing how it all just fits!

Gently flexing the front to ensure the F-01413 Stiffener tab slides into the correct position works just fine.

I spent a while putting tape over all the holes which do NOT get rivets at this stage.

The flap bracket does not get riveted until the fuselage sides are riveted.

It’s all correct as depicted on page 29-16, but might have been clearer if the highlighted rivets had the “DO NOT RIVET” hatching.

But once you understand how the flap bracket fits it’s pretty obvious.

Firewall Dimpling

For some reason the manual does not say anything about dimpling the Firewall Flanges where the skin fits.

Anyway, it’s obvious that this must be done, so I did it!

Whoops!

The last area I clecoed as I attached the Left Side Skin was the bottom front … and I discovered that we had put a rivet in the indicated hole by mistake.

Clecos don’t fit when there is already a rivet in the hole!

Foohey Fudge Cake!

I managed to remove the offending rivets (we’d done the same on the other side as well) without taking all the clecos out.

Even when trying to be as careful as possible sometimes you just miss marking a rivet position I guess.

Masking

The edge of the skins that touch the firewall and top longhorn at the front has Proseal applied as the structure is riveted.

I plan to rivet the aft section first, then prior to the front gently hinge the skin away from the Firewall to lay a bead of the sticky stuff prior to re-clecoing and riveting.

But I masked off ready to tame the Proseal monster.

Ready for riveting now. But while I wait for my mate Tim to be available to help, I’ll prepare some more parts.