Chapters 10/12/13 – Canard, Canard Mounting & Front Gear

I started today on Chapter 13 – Front Gear by pulling the peel ply & knife cutting the nose gear strut.  I then sanded the edges of the new glass layup.

Chap 13 - Front Gear StrutChap 13 - Front Gear StrutI remounted the NG-1 nose gear strut to the support mount using bondo and with the forward side facing up.

Chap 13 - Front Gear StrutChap 13 - Front Gear Strut

I then glassed the second and last 1-ply BID layup to the Fwd, Right & Left sides of the Nose Gear Strut NG-1, again using fast hardener for the epoxy.

Chap 13 - Front Gear Strut

Then I peel plied the layup.  This side was much more difficult to get the peel ply to grab then the first side, but I eventually got it all in place.

Chap 13 - Front Gear StrutChap 13 - Front Gear Strut

Chapter 10 – I had left the canard alone after its final topside skin layup to cure a few days to ensure its configuration was locked into place.  I figured it had cured to a good degree, so I popped it off its glassing jig.  This of course involved removing the heavy water pipe attached securely to the TE.

Chap 10 - CanardChap 10 - Canard Build

I then flipped it over to see how the underside looked.  Not bad.  I was very happy with the overlay of the top skin over the bottom.

Chap 10 - Canard BuildChap 10 - Canard Build

There was a lot of rough, prickly glass along this front overlay so I wore my heavy-duty construction gloves to take the canard into the house for an initial Chapter 12 – Canard Installation mock-up.

I got the canard in the house and test fitted it to the fuselage.  I was stoked at how it’s all coming together.  My antenna cables’ exit location from the canard was spot on.

Chap 12 - Mounting Canard (Mock-up)Chap 12 - Mounting Canard (Mock-up)


Chap 12 - Mounting Canard (Mock-up)

I have to say I was extremely pleased with the initial canard fitting!

 

 

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