Update

I've finished work on the F-704 bulkhead (for now) and have deburred the parts for the F-705 bulkhead. I'm probably not going to progress very fast now that we are getting busy with ranch work.

DJ

Firewall Finished

Yesterday I finished the firewall. I was able to back-rivet all but eight rivets. It turned out really nice. The rivets called for in the plans are too short though.

Here is a picture of the forward side of the firewall.


And the aft side.


Here is what I used for a back-riveting bar. I just had to make sure to keep it under the rivets.


Back-riveting gives really nice results.


A close up of a rivet.


I get to start on the center section next.


DJ

Working on the Firewall

Well, I got my hardware organized.


After that job was done, I started on the firewall. You have to fabricate several parts such as these angles.


The firewall assembled with clecos.



After I drilled everything out I took it apart so I could debur it. That is tomorrows job. Once I finish the firewall I'll post some more pictures.

DJ

Wings Finished!

The other day, Dad and I finished sealing the right tank. We then moved the wings upstairs. I straightened up my workroom and then we washed the floor. After that was done, I moved the fuselage box in.

Picture of my workshop.


I have quite a job to do. I need to organize all this.


The fuselage box.



DJ

Almost Finsished with the Wings!

I got back to working on the wings. I didn't post any updates because the process was basically the same for the left wing as it was the right. Here are some pictures of how we riveted the last skin on the left wing. We clecoed the skin to a piece of PVC pipe then ran a rope from the PVC pipe to the ceiling.



As of now, Everything is finished except for the wingtips (I am going to wait to install them) and the finishing the right tank. Yesterday Dad and I sealed the left tank. We got the float bent and tested the sender. We also had to bend the pickup tube so it would be at the bottom of the tank. I stuck the camera in the tank with the self-timer on to check the position of the pickup line.

We then installed needed items and got everything sealed.
It won't be long until I am working on the fuselage!

DJ

Bad Lands Fly-in.

On the 9th of September we loaded the Bearhawk up and headed to the Badlands fly-in in Hot Springs SD. This is the second time we went. We had a lot of fun last year and this year wasn't any different.

I got a couple of pictures of Mt. Rushmore on the way down.


When we arrived, there were already quite a few airplanes on the ramp.


Shortly afterwards, several more showed up and put on a bit of a show for us.


3 RV-10's and an RV-7A.


An RV-10.


Russ Dent's RV-9A.


Another RV-10


RV-4


RV-12


RV-9A


RV-8


RV-7A (I think)


A bunch of RVs. Jay Pratt's RV-8 (Borrowed Horse) on the far right.


Bruce Bluhm and Dean Sombke's nice RV-10.


We also went to a mammoth dig site. It was once a sinkhole that mammoths fell into and couldn't get out. Since they say a picture is worth a thousand words...




All and all, We had a great time looking at airplanes and talking to the builders.

DJ

Project

No, I didn't abandon it, it's just that during the summer I don't get much of a chance to work on it because of the ranch work we have to do. I'll get back to work on it in the fall and winter when things aren't so busy. It looks like I didn't get the picture from riveting the wing skin on the computer. I'll have to get around to that sometime.

Oh, we got the Super Cub back in mid June. We have been having a blast flying around the ranch with it. I've got my take-offs down pretty good. I've done a few landings as well, but I need to work on them some more.


DJ