Jan 11 2003 - Ready for the last riveting session in the jig. The gear boxes are installed and all riveting that I could do alone (along the main longeron) is finished.

In preparation for the big flip, I made some legs that attach to the false spar blocks. These are just some square steel with allen head cap screws into the spar blocks.

One last view before the finale. I used as many clecos as possible to hold the gear box assemblies tight in the fuse.

Jan 12 2003 - Jim helped with the last rivet session, and we flipped the fuselage from the jig. Here is a shot of the forward area all done. The gear box rivets were not a problem other than the two on the F843 longeron. They just didn't want to set with the stiffness of the assembly. We beat on them until they were satisfactory, but they certainly aren't perfect.

Tip - It dawned on me later that this would be a good place to back rivet these two rivets with the long Avery back set.

I'm going to have to get the inside painted before adding too many more parts. Only the non-upholstered parts that are left exposed need paint.

Aft quartering view of the fuselage. Looks good without all those clecos.

A final view looking aft.

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