Today I removed the forward skin and began prepping it. I cut out the cockpit recess, using snips to get within about quarter inch of the line, then a notching tool to get within 1/32", then a pneumatic rotary disk and sandpaper to get it perfect. I also removed strips of the blue plastic along the rivet lines.
Next, I removed the extra skin piece where the baggage door will go, then filed down the tabs along the edges and polished the skin edges.
I clecoed the skin back on the fuselage and began installing the instrument panel and sub-panels. I noticed right away that there's a gap between the sub-panels and the side skins. Just about every other RV-8 builder I've ever talked to has reported this same issue, and I'll have to remedy it by building a pair of curved filler tabs, and riveting them to the side panels.
Cockpit recess has been cut out.
Skin fitted, and instrument panel pieces installed.
Here's the gap between the sub-panel and the skin.
