Turtledeck

Turtledeck Finished and in place

Flanges nicely conform to the fuselage.

Dennis Brooks' Turtledeck

Note: Dennis placed his rivets next to the flange bend ... wish I had done this. My rivets were in the middle of the flange (except where I goofed!).

Bow easliy shaped to match the drawing.

The10-9nch diameter round block was conventional plywood. The square block was a hardwood ... a pine block quickly edged away from the round block. The sharp-reverse bend was the only difficult part.

Test fit of the bow.

Test fit of Turtledeck after several trimmings.

Aluminum piece was cut about 1-inch oversize on all three edges.

Side view during test fitting.

Top view of trial fit.

Hole flanger ... creates a one-quarter inch flange.

I don't like this tool. Note: Skill saw with metal blade ready to cut groove in the handle to enable a one-half inch flange.

1/4-inch slot cut in line with the interection of the rolling wheels.

Modified flanging too with test flange on scrap aluminum

Hammer wasn't need to flatten the flange once I got the technique. Minimal flange angle results in flush fit on the fuselage.

Hole guide resting on two pillow blocks next to square tube

Test hole is exactly as planned ... slightly to the rear of the bow to allow a greater edge distance for the Turtledeck aluminum skin. ... built from three pieces of scrap: 1/8-inch angle, 1/8-inch bar stock and a 0.025 separator.

Hole Guide - side view

The guide hole will accurately line up with the bow.

Hole Guide - Top View

Inside view demonstrates tight fit.

For some reason, the aft edge was no longer tightly pressed to the fuselage after all the holes were drilled and Cleco'd. A quarter-inch crimp downward may be the solution ... or leave as is. ... FIXED: see last photo, I redrilled the holes so the aft tip would lay flat.

Aft Holes Drilled through Bulkhead "C" into Hoop ... Cleco'd

Inside view of aft Cleco's into Hoop

Note: upsidedown

Polishing materials

I'm using Nuvite polishing compound ... it's the best. The "A" grade is formulated for hand polishing. The "S" grade is called on on the "A" as the next and final step. ... Note: while it is thought you can't polish 0.016 aluminum without creating dents or kinks ... you can if you are carefull. The orbital polisher was bought at Harbor Frieght ... very cheap. They have a nice selection of buffer cloths

Finished and Polished

Redrilled for Copper Rivets

Aft portion of Turtledeck

When redrilling 3/32nd-inch holes to 1/8th-inch ... the Turtledeck aft tip was held flat. The 3/32-holes did not line up exactly ... enlarging the holes in the turtledeck and fuselage skin in the opposite direction forced the Turtledeck to lay flat on the fuselage skin. (In effect, I moved three holes on each side outward.) (The fuselage skin hole was enlarged outward while the Turtledeck hole was enlarged inward. This pulls the Turtledeck outward.)