This weekend I did the scarf joints that connect the top and bottom skins of the inboard and outboard sections of the right wing plug. So now it's pretty much ready for the couple ten or fifteen full days of sanding that it'll take to produce a moldable surface. But first, I need to repeat the joining and scarfing operation on the left wing plug sections. I'll also need to finish off the HP-18 and get it flying.
Next weekend is a non-shop weekend. Instead, I'll be driving down to Tehachapi to inspect the alignment of the aft fuselage plug with the first article forward fuselage plug. Once I approve the alignment, Harald can get started sculpting the missing chunk of fuselage. The goal is to have full fuselage molds to show off at the SHA Western Workshop in September. I also might have wing plugs to show, too, but we'll wait and see on that.
This update's photos:
A not-very-good photo of the right wing plug seeing daylight for the first time. The top skin is scarfed, but the bottom surface isn't yet. We moved it outside briefly while I rearranged the shucks on the table so that I could place it upside-down and do the bottom scarf joint.
Another not-very-good photo of the wing plug outside. White stuff in sunlight, eh.
Here, I've just finished the bottom surface scarf joint.
Another view of the scarf joint.
page updated 29 March 2004 all text and graphics copyright (c) 2004 HP Aircraft, LLC