Rocketeer A
Project
The lower longeron assembly was built up out
of 3/16" sq. hard balsa as shown below.
I received a note from Alfredo Herbon
suggesting that I laminate the lower longerons out of three 1/6" X 3/16"
pieces since it would be impossible to bend 3/16" sq. at the rear to fit
the plan. However, I decided to cut the rear bend pieces out of 3/16"
sheet and use "ship lap" joints shown below at the splices with the
forward 3/16" sq. strips.
The finished lower longeron assembly is shown
below with the ship lap joint clearly visible.
The next step was to lay out the firewall
pattern on a piece of 1/8" five-ply Birch plywood as shown below.
The firewall was then cut out as shown below.
The firewall was then slipped into place on the
fuselage's crutch for a trial fit as shown below.
This is a second view of the firewall fit
looking in from the right side.
The firewall will not be glued in place until
the landing gear is bent and a method is devised to mount it to the
firewall........................Tandy