I had just a little bit of time to work on the plane today. I now have the drill bits and reamers that I need to drill the top of the gear legs. So, I cut new pieces of 2x4 to make a new jig for the main landing gear alignment. I cut the pieces and then mailed them to my dad in Pennsylvania where he can cut a slot in them to fit nicely on the gear stems. I could do this, but it would require me buying a table saw. It's cheaper to send it home!
Next I started working on the wings. I've had fuel sitting in the left wing tank for about a week. When I built my S-10 I mounted the tanks, built the plane, covered it, painted it, etc... and then filled the tanks with fuel. After about a week, the tanks grew so much that it distorted the aft mount and make the drain holes no longer line up with the holes in the fabric. AARGH! So this time, I filled the left tank with fuel before I mounted it so it would grow to full size first. Well, the tank grew alright! It grew, stretched, bulged, etc... Now I just had a real difficult time mounting it. Here's what I have determined will work best with the tanks...
HOW TO MOUNT WING TANKS: First, build the wing frame. Then set the fuel tank in the cradle in the wing. Don't rivet the little tabs on yet though-just let the tank sit in there. THEN fill it up with fuel and let it sit for a week. This way, it will grow and stretch to the shape of the wing. (I'll post pics of this when I build the right wing)
Here the fuel tank is FINALLY mounted in the wing. Now I can get busy fitting
the ribs, top wrap, and root wraps.
Here is the upper root rib clecoed in place.
Another picture of the root rib. Rib #3 (which is actually the second rib in
from the root).
This rib is close tot he tank but does clear it. Tight...but fits.