Section: 9
Hours: 1.5

Today I formed the leading edge of the right elevator and closed it up. I used the method of duct taping a 1" metal pipe to the front edge of the skin. After the pipe is secured with tape, I curled the skin by twisting the pipe with the help of a large wrench. After the initial shape was achieved with the pipe and wrench, I manually manipulated the skins to get a final fit. It took several tries before the skins would close up without any gaps.

Bending the skin with the help of a metal pipe and large wrench.

It took several rounds of clecoing, marking bulges, unclecoing and more hand forming before I got to this point. The skins are finally matching up without gaps!

Woody inspecting the final pull riveting of the leading edge. He says it passes the smell test (must be the ProSeal still curing on the foam rib sections...)