I have now completed all of the Tail Cone riveting and I am very happy with the result. It took a lot of time and stuffed rivets, however, the outcome was good quality.
I must recommend with the strongest conviction that the backriveting of the tailcone from start to finish, (albiet a few sections) was the best decision made.
Firstly, the stringers and bottom was backriveted, side stringers to side skins, bottom skin to side skins and top stringers (completed BEFORE attachment to tail cone) all were back riveted. The only sections that were now back riveted were the side skins and top to the bulkheads and the Longerons, Everything else (skin wise) was back riveted.
I strongly recommend this as it ensured consistency of the riveting.
My method was to use a backing plate on the bench and doing alternating sides and stringers in a methodical pattern not one full side and then another. Not one full side then another. The end result was a dead level fuse. I am very happy. Now the next part is some minor fabrication, rolling of the lead edges, riveting the trailing edges and then fittment of the tail feathers to the tail cone.
Once complete it will be onwards to attaching it to the forward fuse.
