Test fitting, modifying and installation of the landing gear cover skin.
The initial test fit showed a bulged skin on the left side only. Furthermore there was more space between the skin and gear on the front than on the rear side:
In case the landing gear, ever, has to be replaced it’s easier when the cover skin is on top of the bottom skins of the fuselage. In principal the cover skin should slide under the front bottom skin. Extra corrosion protection was added like priming the mating surface with 2K epoxy primer:
To solve the uneven gap I machined a prototype skin where there is a small cutout at the front becoming larger towards the rear. With this trick the gap looks even now:
Next the inspection panels and doublers were machined:
And the cover skin was modified with the additional holes, cutouts:
Dimpling:
Edge rolling:
2 coats of 2K epoxy primer (before and after back riveting):
Extra corrosion protection with Ardrox AV30 on the skin:
And Ardrox on the fuselage:
Standard rivets were used, however 4 longer rivets were used where the holes are shared with the thicker aileron stops:
Inside view of the aileron stops:
And below the landing gear bolts/nuts the dummy 3.2 mm rivets had to be shortened. The load is taken by the additional 3.2 mm rivets on either side:
All rivets in Place:
The inspection panel is installed with M4x8 mm stainless steel screws and a nylon washer:
