38-12: Initial Assembly of the Canopy Side Rails

The canopy side rails consist of the C-10427 Canopy Rail Flange which is the part which is parallel to the fuselage side rails, and shaped to match the curve of the fuselage. Next is the C-01409 Canopy Rail Angle, which was the part we fluted to make sure it was both flat along the bottom flange, and curved to match the existing curve in the C-01427 Canopy Rail Flange. Finally, on the outside, is the C-01407 Canopy Rails themselves. These are the pieces which the canopy will screw to and are match drilled to the C-01409 Canopy Rail Angles. On the outside of all this, is the outer skins. Phew!

The first step is to rivet the Canopy Rail Angles to the Canopy rail flanges. These are dome head rivets on the cockpit side and the shop heads are nested into countersinks we made on the lower edges of the Canopy Rail Angles. 

Making sure both sides were symmetrical before riveting

AN470 dome head rivets used to rivet the Canopy Rail Angles to the Canopy Rail Flanges...

... and on the underside, the shop heads nest into the countersinks in the Rail Angles

Nice and flat!

The fit was checked against the fuselage sides to make sure the curve matched.

Next up was to rivet on the Canopy Side Rails themselves - these come flat and need to have a curve imparted so they match the curve of the fuselage. The forward 16" are flat and aft of this they need a curve put in. I rolled them around the assembled roll bar (which had not been riveted onto the aeroplane as yet), in order to impart this curve. 

The aft sections of the side rails need to be curved.

The roll bar was used as a "bending mandrel"

Next, the canopy side rails were cleco'd to the canopy rail angles using a number of holes which were already there in both parts. These are holes which exist only in the canopy side rails, but not on the external skins. These clecos are marked for later, as these will be the rivets which hold the side rails to the side rail angles. Once clecod on, all the remaining holes in the side rails were match drilled into the canopy side rail angles. Everything was removed and deburred.

I checked along the side rails to make sure the curve matched the fuselage sides.

The cleco's which were marked earlier were then countersunk for a flish rivet, and spot primed. The side rails were riveted onto the side rail angles. 

Next up is to fit the side rails to the rest of the canopy structure.