2/1/02 - Made the NACA scoop template

2/1/02 - Made the NACA scoop template. Traced the outline on the fuselage bottom. Cut the 2" and 1" Urethane blocks. Cut scoop shape in 1" and 2" blocks. 2.5 hrs.

Here is the paper template laid out on the bottom of the fuselage.

2/2/02 - Cut out, shaped, and floxed into place A, B, C, and D birch parts for landing gear bulkheads. 4.5 hrs.

A, B, C, & D plywood pieces are in place.

2/3/02 - Cut, shaped, and microed foam in place for A, B, C, & D parts in place. Made 2 ply bid layup on D parts before foam install. Microed foam for NACA scoop to bottom of fuselage. 3.5 hrs.

2/9/02 - Cut and floxed 3/8 PVC foam for NACA scoop between rear BH and firewall. Shaped urethane foam on bottom. Glassed and peel plied inside of NACA scoop. 6 hrs.

This picture shows all foam in place for NACA scoop. the water jugs are holding the foam down because the bottom curves at this point.

2/10/02 - Fabricated lower fuselage sanding block. Shaped lower right side and started shaping lower left side fuselage. 4 hrs.

Here is the sanding block I made….just a 2X4 with sandpaper spray glued to it. The urethane foam makes a mess!

2/11/02 - Finished shaping left side of fuselage. Sanded 1/16" depression around speed brake. Marked 1/16" area to be sanded around F22. 2 hrs.

2/12/02 - Sanded 1/16" depression around F22. Radiused all bulkheads and firewall for bottom layup. 2 hrs.

2/15/02 - Sanded bottom with 120 grit. Vacuumed all foam. Taped 1" around sides and back of landing break with 7 layers of duct tape. Cut Uni cloth for bottom layups and landing gear bulkhead/firewall reinforcements. Cleaned shop in preparation for bottom layups. 2.3 hrs.

2/16/02 - Glassed NACA scoop with 2ply Uni. Layed up LGB and firewall hardpoint reinforcements. 6 hrs.

Here’s the glassed scoop.

2/17/02 - Trimmed NACA scoop. Made canard cut out at F22/F28. Made upper longeron contouring templates A/B/C/D. Started contour of left side longeron. 4 hrs.

The cut out of the canard is shown here.

These are the templates used for shaping the upper longeron and how they are applied.

2/18/02 - Finished shaping left side. Sanded 1/16" depression aft of F22. Removed foam from fuel sight gauge. Made rotisserie supports for airframe. 4 hrs.

Here’s the crude rotisserie I made so I could lay up the sides easier. First Flight?!

2/22/02 - Installed fuselage on rotisserie for glassing side. Cut 3 ply Uni for side layup. Cut upper longeron reinforcing layups and engine mount reinforcement layups. Cleaned shop. 3 hrs.

2/23/02 - Glassed left side of fuselage with 3 layers of Uni. Applied 3 layer upper longeron and aft firewall reinforcement layups. Applied 2-layer bid firewall reinforcement. Peel plied layups. 6 hrs.

2/24/02 - Shaped right side of fuselage. Cut out and profiled fuel sight gauge. 2.5 hrs.

3/1/02 - Prepared right side of fuselage for glassing. Cut 3 layer Uni and all reinforcement layups. 2 hrs.

3/2/02 - Layed up right side of fuselage with 3 ply uni and all proper reinforcement layups per instructions. 5.5 hrs.

This finishes Chapter 7

Total build time: 56.3 Hrs.