Left Wing Lower Inboard Skin Prepped For Riveting

The covering of the RV-12’s left wing skeleton begins by turning the spar/skeleton assembly upside down and positioning the W-1201-L lower inboard skin onto the wing skeleton. After the skin was gingerly set into position, the blue protective film along the rivet lines needed to be removed with a soldering iron prior to riveting.

                                       Jan helping to set the W-1201-L lower inboard wing skin into position.

                                              Using a soldering to melt peal lines into the blue protective film.
                                              This makes removing the blue film from the rivet lines a snap.

After the rivet lines were cleared of blue film, the skin is secured onto the wing skeleton with lots and lots of Clecos. My hands were starting to get cold so did not totally finish securing the skin onto the skeleton so there will be a little more Cleco work before riveting begins.

                                          Using Clecos to Secure the W-1201-L lower inboard skin onto the left
                                          wing skeleton. The Clecos will hold the skin in place during riveting.