Right Wing’s Leading Edge & Flaperon Hinge Brackets Riveted

After the bottom skin riveting was completed, the right wing assembly was rolled so work could commence riveting the leading edge. The inboard portion of the right wing’s leading edge (where the wing walk doubler gets installed) is not riveted at this time nor are the aft nine rows of rivet holes on the W-1201,02 & 03 skins. As with the left wing, the aft nine rows of holes are left open to allow enough flex in the skins so the built in J-stiffeners in the top wing skins can slip into the notches in the W-1208 nose ribs.

The right wing’s leading edge is secured with Clecos and ready for riveting.

Beginning the riveting of the right wing’s leading edge, using the pneumatic rivet puller to set flush rivets.

                                           Setting the last flush rivet with the pneumatic rivet puller … note the

                                           aft nine rows are not riveted until the top skins are set in place.

 

The flaperon hinge brackets and ribs were set in place with Clecos and readied for riveting. The exact same procedure was used to rivet the flaperon hinge brackets as on the left wing. AN470AD4-4 rivets secured the hinge bracket ribs onto the rear spar and AN470AD4-6 rivets were used along the top row of the hinge bracket assembly and LP4-3 pop rivets were used in the remaining flaperon hinge bracket rivet holes.

Using the pneumatic squeezer to rivet the hinge bracket rib onto the rear spar with AN470AD4-4 solid rivets.

 

Note: In the photo above, the hinge bracket assembly was left askew … the reason for this is because, as with the left wing, access was needed so the rivet gun could be used to set the bottom rivet that secures the hinge bracket rib onto the rear spar. I elected to set that rivet using a rivet gun and bucking bar at low air pressure. Of course, a pop rivet could go here but because all the other rivets in the rear spar are solid, using a solid rivet makes for a uniform look.

                                               Using the pneumatic squeezer to set AN470AD4-6 rivets along

                                               the top row of rivet holes in the flaperon hinge bracket assembly.

 

The remaining rivet hoes that could not be reached with the pneumatic rivet squeezer had LP4-3 pop rivets placed in them. Access is very tight, even for the close quarters rivet puller, so the trick of bending the rivet’s mandrel slightly and using a wedge between the hand rivet puller and rivet head was employed for all the LP4-3 rivets that secure the flaperon hinge bracket assembly.

Close quarters rivet puller on a rivet with a bent mandrel and the wedge to offset the head of the rivet gun.

Using the close quarter rivet puller to set a LP4-3 rivet into one of the rivet holes in the flaperon hinge bracket assembly. Note the piece of scrap metal used under the rivet puller to protect the wing skin when the mandrel pops and the puller moves rapidly in …. pick a direction.