Fuselage

I started working today to see how much I could get done on the elevator Bellcrank. First, I primed all the parts, including all the spacers. While I was at it, I also primed the F-695 gussets and the shoulder belt anchors. I also taped up the sides of the bearing for the bellcrank so I could prime the flange of the bearing as well. Then, I started riveting. I riveted the bellcrank together first, then installed it in the fuselage to check for fit and proper functioning.

It fits and works perfectly!

I was impressed with how well it fits and works. Once I was satisfied that all is well here, I took it out and put it away for now.

Next, I riveted the F-695 gussets in place.

Above is the left side, below is the right side. Look at how many rivets go here! I was able to squeeze most of them, but had to hammer a few.

Finally, I've been doing some research online to see how other builders are routing the static line through or past the F-705 bulkhead. There isn't much in the plans to indicate how this is done. I ended up drilling some holes and installing one bushing. I'll explain more below.

In order to do this mod in the easiest way possible, I ended up removing the top bar of the F-705 bulkhead from the fuselage. That wasn't easy, but it can be done. Once it was out of the fuse, it was easy. Let me explain the picture above. On the left is the top bar of the F-705. You're looking at the forward end of the left side. The red arrow indicates where I drilled a 1/4" hole in between those two rivets for the static line to pass through. On the right is the thick F-705G angle stiffener that nests inside the F-705 top bar. When I drilled the hole, the F-705G was clecoed in place. I removed it to deburr it and take this picture. The arrow indicates the hole that corresponds with the hole in the F-705 top bar on the left. I hope that makes sense. When this angle is rotated around and put back in place, the holes line up perfectly. I checked with my static line stock, and it passes through this hole easily.

Now this is the other side of the F-705 top bar. The aft left side. Here I was able to simply drill a hole opposite the hole in the front side and install a bushing, just like you put in the other bulkheads for the static line or other lines. Once this was finished, I finagled the top bar back into the fuse and clecoed it back in place. I hope I don't have to take it out ever again. I wish some instructions would have been included back when the F-705 was being built. It would have been easier then to just do it. At least I was able to catch this before any of this stuff was riveted in place. If you're just now building your F-705 bulkhead, drill these holes NOW and save yourself some trouble.

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