N439RC; Ron's RV-12

More photos showing the skins going around the tailcone frames.  Skins are first “clecoed” to the frames, then riveted into place.  The skins and frames matched up very nicely.  Nothing too complicated about this part of the project.  Many rivets!  This part of the assembly actually involved some plasitic tubing for the static ports, as well as a cable for the stabilator trim.

See photos below:

My kids think it looks like a “time machine.”

 Skins have J-shaped stiffener that fits into frame, then overlap the adjacent skins.

Skins on the side.

Final top skin.

After tucking the stabilator into a safe place (above the garage door) I started the tailcone.  The tailcone is basically made of frames and skins.  I spent a couple evenings preparing the frames; fluting, deburring, priming.  Then a couple more evenings preparing the “bulk-head.” 

Once the frames were ready, I started working on the tailcone skins.  One of the steps is to “break” the edges of the skins, so they don’t curl when riveted to the skins.  The afternoon I pulled the skins out was simply gorgeous!  The temps were in the 60s, and the sun was high in the sky!  I had the garage (hanger) fully opened, and even pushed the work bench out onto the driveway.  A couple photos are below:

See the sun shining in on the hangar!  It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon to be working on the plane.

Below shows the frames hanging from the bottom skins.  The curved shape of the tailcone begins to take shape.

Once the bottom skins were attached to the frames, the assembly could be placed upright.  This photo shows frames above bottom skins.

I had a nice weekend completing the stabilator.  The skin went on with ease, and the pneumatic rivet tool made the installation simple.  The photos below show the clecoed skins and the final result.  The stabilator is now safely stored above my garage door, and I’ve started on the tailcone.