Rudder and elevator

I was going to prime, but run out of gloves. Have to put pop rivets (LP4-3) in R-410 because none of my tools fit inside, and I have already riveted the assembly together. Due to some drilling difficulties, I will have one 4/32 and one 5/32 solid rivet, and two LP4-3 rivets. This looks strange, but is perfectly OK.

Drilled holes in elevator hinge plate

Drilled the holes in the attachment plates for the elevator hinge. Then I did a cleanup of the whole shop (long overdue). Wrote into the build logbook all the things done last year(copyed from this blog). This logbook will follow the airplane throughout its lifetime.

Elevator hinges and horn

Drilled the tip ribs of the right elevator spar together. Drilled it to the spar with the angle. Position the horn and drilled it to the spar, then made holes for the hinge bolts and started fine adjusting the elevator in to its proper position on the HS.

Details on elevator

Couldn't figure out how to position the bend on the lower flange on E-404 to mate with the spar. Instead I made an angle that I will rivet on to the spar and E-404. Marked rivets and fluted the elevator ribs.

elevator stiffeners and horn

Riveted on the stiffeners to the right elevator skin.




Started fitting the elevator horn and went straight into problems again. The elevator horn has pre punched holes. The problem is that the inner most holes are punched at least 3-4/16 too far in, so they interfere with flange of the E-409 rib. I didn't notice that before the spar and rib already was riveted together. Had to drill the rivets out and file 3/16 off the flange, and rivet together again. From the drawings and manual it is obvious that the horn originally was not pre-punched. Not a big deal, but still.

Elevator skeleton and priming

Made the skeleton for the right elevator. Primed the skin, stiffeners, skeleton and the rest of the bits for the rudder.

Elevator skin ready for priming and dimpling

Finished the right elevator skin and all the stiffeners. Drilled all the holes and deburred. It is now ready for priming and dimpling.

Elevator and rudder

Finished the rudder. Deburring and dimpling and fine trimming. My controller has to come and look at the rudder and VS before I rivet on the skin.

Started on the right elevator. Measured up and fabricated the stiffeners.

Deburring and dimpling

Dimpeld the rudder skin and skeleton and deburred them.

Drilling the rudder

Marked all lines and holes and drilled the rudder skin to the skeleton. Also made the strips to fasten the fiberglass trimming and details.

Fixing rudder

Finished trimming the rudder skin. Cut out the slots for the hinges. Used cutters for a rough cut, then a dremel for the rounded corner and a file to get straight edges.