Starting to install side skin

TLDR

• Cleco-ed side skin to fuselage
• And riveted some non-essential parts

Details

So I need to install the side skin (and possibly the firewall) before continue with the joystick, because the joystick sits between center fuselage and the rear fuselage. I need to get the two parts connected and at their final position to ensure the connection angle is finalized. Otherwise I won’t know for sure how much more shaving I need to do on the joystick bushing channels.

Left side

I have already previously dimpled ths skins but missed the top row on both sides. So I did that, and fitted all doublers and stringers on the left side first to see if everything makes sense.

Fitting the side skin on the left side

It turns out the doubler holes were all drilled to 4mm, and the stringers and skins drilled the hole on the same position at 3.2mm. So I disassembled the pieces and match drilled about 15 holes on each side so they would take 4mm rivets instead.

Test fitting the doublers on the outside because it’s easier to access

The holes on the bottom were super difficult to line up. I had to muscle it quite a bit, but in the end I got the clecos to get in. I expect some clear drilling when I start to rivet the bottom part.

Right side

After doing the left side, I did the same on the right side.

Low on clecos, I only put in a few just to hold the skin in place

Very exciting to see both skins on both sides