Wings...installing fuel tanks

05/24/03 - After yesterday's successful air test, I decided I wanted to give the fuel tanks a water test as well because they have to be cleaned of debris, etc. in any case, so this morning before I went to the office to take care of a small job, I disconnected the air test rigs and ran the hoses back into the tanks, took the tanks out to the patio, set them over DRY NEWSPRINT, filled the tanks with water and left them to (hopefully) NOT LEAK.

Of course, when I returned, everything was still dry (and I was very, very satisfied because I had worried that I would find a leak) so with the help of Marilyn, we hauled the tanks out to the back of the yard and dumped the water.  I reconnected the air lines to the tanks and ran compressed air circulating through them for about a half hour each in order to dry things out.  After that I used a small data-vac to (again, hopefully) rid the rest of the tank of any debris.

At that point, I began today's task of getting the tanks installed into the wing structures.

Following are a few photos of the job starting with fitting the tank loosely in place in order to locate and install the outer tank support tube:

You need to cut the outer tank support tube on an angle so it'll fit against the diagonal internal brace tube:

Loose fit on the tank support tube:

When you are satisfied with the fit, make it permanent:

And it fits!

Tank support brackets bolt to the inlaid nuts along the sides of the tank and are riveted to the tank support tube and inside compression tube:

Brackets drilled and clecoed in place:

After riveting the brackets to the tubes, a little blue loctite will hold the bolts in place:

And that's the extent of today's work.  I need to drill and rivet the brackets for the right side tank and then I'm ready to build ribs!

With only the rest of this weekend and next weekend left in the month, I'll probably not make my (always flexible) goal of having the wings completed and be ready for fabric by June 1, but since I'm going to Rans Fly-In and attending the fabric seminar June 19 - 22, I'm not planning to start that task until after I return in any case.

I have a couple of minor things to do yet, such as install the flap assembly, etc. so it's not like I'm going to run out of work before I start on the fabric process.

More updates soon...

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Last Update: 05/24/2003