I did not do any work yesterday (Saturday) because Jim and I went to Auburn, Alabama to attend a flyin there. We met Patrick, my son who is a mechanical engineering major at Auburn University. Patrick is destined to be a race car engineer. Last summer he interned with Andretti Green racing in Indianapolis. His team won the Indy 500. We had a great day together. We reached a real mile stone today. Jim Anderson and I finished the right tank by riveting and sealing on the rear baffle and the tank attach brackets. It took us right at 2 hours to complete the work, but another one and a half hours to clean up all of the tools and clecoes. That is OK. This is the last time we have to deal with tank sealant and MEK. After a few days of cure time, I will pressure test the tank. Last, I drilled the AN nut which attaches the fuel pickup tube to its fitting. Vans came out with a service bulletin requiring this to be safety wired because one or two of them have "vibrated" loose in other airplanes. Personally, I think those builders forgot to tighten them and left them finger tight. Nevertheless, I will comply with the service bulletin and safety wire them. I am out of safety wire right now, however. I will have to order some.
Patrick and Jim inspect the intracasies of the dive brakes on a WWII dive bomber
The completed right tank
Nut drilled for safety wire, as per the new service bulletin from Vans
