We decided to finish riveting the forward fuselage framework. It took us a long time to rivet the subpanel to the F-902-R bulkhead because there was very little room to position the rivet gun as well a fit the bucking bar behind the curled bulkhead flange. I had to remove the top and bulkhead adel clamps on the fuel tank vent lines and bend them out of the way to position the rivet gun with the offset tool to be straight on the 470-4-4 rivets. Charlotte riveted while I tried to position the tungsten bucking bar behind the bulkhead flange by feel. We only had to drill out one rivet as I finally figured out how to hold the bar in the correct position. We finally got all six rivets set. The left side went much quicker.
We then riveted the subpanel pieces together as well as riveted the subpanel to the ribs and forward canopy decks. With the instrument panel removed Charlotte could sit on the spar in the cockpit and rivet the subpanel together. We used the hand squeezer on two of the rivets on the canopy decks and a couple of rivets on the bottom flange of the subpanel, otherwise it was all done with the rivet gun and bucking bar.
Subpanel riveted to right F-902 bulkhead.
Subpanel pieces riveted together and to canopy deck on the left.
