CHAPTER 25 - Adding the Main Skins

I started with the top skins. They were clamped in place along the leading edge and tank skins, and carefully drilled and clecoed to the spar. The wing walk doublers were not in place at this time, as I wanted to ensure that the ribs were centered on the pre-punched skin's holes. I next started working my way downward toward the rear spar, drilling and clecoing as I went.

Once the skins were completely attached, I removed the clecoes around the wing walk area and inserted the doublers. With these clamped in place, I re-drilled the holes, and clecoed the whole together. Next I turned my attention to the gussets and the half rib near the aileron pushrod. With some help from Judi as a flexible clamp, I drilled these to the top skin. Finally, as I mentioned in the chapter on the pitot mount, I back-drilled the mount doubler to the skin.

I then moved around to the bottom skins. These were done in the same fashion as the top (except for the wing walk doublers). At this point, I still need to fabricate the access cover, but other than that the skins are on and the wing really looks like a wing now! Riveting will wait until the control surfaces are built and attached, so that access to the structure during the attachment process is assured.