So, to construct the tail cone the instructions said to mount the vertical stabilizer to a 2x4 and mount the 2x4 from the ceiling to the floor. (Kind of like that.) Well, I didn't want the garage door blocked for months while I constructed the tail cone so, I approached the problem a little differently.
The goal is to support the vertical stabilizer in the vertical position, on the CL with bulkhead 209.5 on the HRL.
My first run at the problem I clamped the last three bulkheads to the construction table and started after the problem. It seemed to hold everything OK.
Another shot of the "monstrosity" clamped in place. Kind of an inverted triangle. Everything seemed to hold OK and lined up nice with the CL & HRL. Until I placed the bottom skins and rear doubler into the fray.
That is when everything went awry. It seemed placing the doubler on the inside threw dimensions off enough to make the bulkheads not fit correctly on the inside of the skins. Once I removed the doubler, everything fit up nice.
With the rear doubler removed, all the bulkheads fit up nice along the HRL. I anchored the rear work surface to the concrete floor and called it a night.
Kind of looking like a real airplane. Tail cone formers clamped in place almost ready to drill holes for Clecos. I need to measure again before drilling.
I should be able to bring the tail cone top skins down from the upstairs soon. I just don't know if I have enough Clecos to hold the whole plane together. I may have to backtrack and rivet the forward fuselage to get some Clecos.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.
BWW
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