There really isn't much structure...

[captain_john]

holding the front and back fuselage sections together!

I know that it is enough, but when you look at it (here are some of Rudi's pics):





...there are the upper longs, the surrounding skin rivets in the mating area and the aft baggage rib rivets!

Then you have the skins that go on top too but, it just doesn't seem like much BIG and BEEFY stuff!

Lots of little stuff combined. Strong like an ant colony, I guess!

CJ

[4kilo]

CJ,

Stressed skin ring a bell? Remember that most of the loads of the aft fuselage are carried by the skin itself. The main purpose of the internal structure is simply to hold the skin in the proper shape and keep it from buckling under compression.

Now, KNOWING that the skin takes most of the loads, and then looking at the structure and CONVINCING yourself that it really is strong enough is not necessarily the same...

Pat

[captain_john]

Pat, yah sure... monocoque.

Stressed skin, yah... I know.

Being a "build it strong and from the middle out" kind of a thinker, it just seems odd!

It is a whole other way of thinking. I am just trying to get my head around this whole thing, as this IS my first airplane project!

Kinda different from anything else I have ever designed/built/worked on.

I KNOW that I am not the ONLY one new to this whole airplane building thing!

Pat, have you any new pics of your project for us? We haven't see much of you lately! How is it coming along?

CJ

[Mark Browning]

Hi
yeah i remeber around ten months ago joining the two halfs of the fuse,
thinking prety much the same ........
Dont worry when you have rivited in the lonegrons / side skins and then finaly rivet the aft deck this thing becomes very stong and ridgid indeed.

Just make sure when you rivet the aft deck in place that there is no twist in the fuse, because if there is it will be there for ever !!
Use a smart level staring from center section and checking all way down to the aft deck

[svanarts]

Kind of like an egg. It's strong when it's in its element. Strong in the air, fragile on the ground. It's amazing engineering that we all to often take for granted *I think.*

[4kilo]

Pat, have you any new pics of your project for us? We haven't see much of you lately! How is it coming along?

CJ

Well, it's starting to look a little "airplaney."



Pat

[captain_john]

YAH!!!

You and Wicked Stick are runnin' neck and neck!!!

Looks great!

CJ

[rv8or]

CJ--

Remeber how "rickety" the wing skeleton felt between the bench and the jig? Then you put those skins on and man...what a difference!

Faith, brother, faith

Joe

[captain_john]

Joe, YES I DO!

It is amazing how things "firm up" when you put the skins on and then rivet it all together!

CJ

[Wicked Stick]

Pat, have you any new pics of your project for us? We haven't see much of you lately! How is it coming along?

CJ

Well, it's starting to look a little "airplaney."



Pat

Looking Good Pat,

After Christmas, I'm hoping to flip mine back inverted to mount the Grove gear and the exit ramp skins. (slow build)
Then I figure I'll flip it right side up again and plumb and rought wire it.

Have you installed your seats and sat in it and imagined your first flights yet ?

[4kilo]

Dave,

I have given some thought to the grove gear, but I just couldn't make myself spend the money. Please tell us how they work.

In answer to your question, today I installed the forward seat ramp, but no, I haven't sat in the fuselage yet. Instead, I got a ride in an RV-4. Pretty awesome.

Pat

[tshort]

Dave-

Did you get your Grove gear yet?
They said 6-8 weeks ... about 6-8 weeks ago! I was hoping they'd come in time for a nice x-mas gift for myself. Not like I'm ready to hang them anyway, though!

Thomas

[Wicked Stick]

Pat,

Glad to hear you liked the RV-4 ride. Did it have a 180hp with CS prop ?
The one I co-own just has the 160 hp with a fixed pitch wood prop.
Solo with 1/2 tanks I can almost climb out the same as a heavy 8 with CS.
The 4 is my favorite plane so far for acro and short fun trips.

I'm hoping the 8 will be even better.
-----------------------------------------

Thomas,
Yeah I ordered my Grove Airfoiled gear legs last Christmas, but they did finally show up during the spring thaw. I decided I wanted to spend the extra money for them to help reduce overall weight and I really wanted no brake lines running down the legs and having to also fair them.

Most pilots that I talk to who are flying with them also love them for their stiffness and that they are less bouncy when landing.