Brief Description: Fuselage Preparation for Canopy 1
Every so often I have to haul the airplane out of the garage to clean up the garage. It was time. Also, I reattached all skins so I could remember what an almost built plane looked like. Attached the canopy frame, and as usual, the fit after riveting is not the same as when clecoed. Very close, though. I was able to determine that a slight gap at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions on the glare shield was caused by the bottom edge of the glare shield skin actually resting on the canopy deck and keeping the canopy from settling into closed position. Vixen filed very little off and it layed down nicely. I will need one or two rivet holes shimmed on the forward skin to make the final perfect match. It opens and closes without interference with the forward fuselage skin. One of the reinforcing piece tangs on the co pilot side slightly touches the instrument panel top angle when opening the canopy. I dremeled off the interference (about 1/8 inch for a one inch length) on the offending reinforcement tang and all is well now.
I stopped myself from clamping on the wings and tail feathers. Thats going too far.
