Section 10 - Aft Fuselage (finished riveting side skins; rudder stops; angle brackets; nutplates)

During this past week, I spent the majority of my time on page 10-19, which involves riveting the side skins to the longerons, j-stiffeners, bulkheads, and bottom skins.  I could buck or squeeze most of the rivets by myself ... except for about 140 rivets that attached the curved part of the side skins to the bottom skins.  My wife volunteered her time and skill, and we made quick work of it.  It was the first time she has bucked a rivet - I think I'll be using her newfound talent more in the future.

Squeezed the rivets along the longerons:

other side:

Started riveting the skins to the bulkheads and "A" J-stiffeners:

My wife's first 6 rivets (holding the bucking bar), joining the aft bottom skin to the bottom skin:

Inside view of her work (horizontal line of 6 shop heads in the lower part of this image):

Finished riveting "A" j-stiffeners:

Other side:

Finished most of the main rivets in aft-skins (FAA mugshot in the reflection):

Other side:

Finished riveting the "B" j-stiffeners:

Other side:

My wife, bucking and checking rivets as we riveted aft-to-forward along the bottom skin j-channel:

The butt of the aft fuselage has been completely riveted:

Nutplates, angle brackets, and rudder stops riveted:

Other side: