I was able to clear some space in my garage after finishing the tail cone assembly, and moved on to installing the left wing top skins.
Following the same steps I had gone through to attach the right wing top skins, I began by spending some additional time making sure the wing spar was level (not bowed or twisted). I was the able to easily cleco on the top skins and the inboard rib nutplates.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE97KSiFeae83zMSDasDscTfZUMgyHGBxoHIZPmcMjDLvK6jyoyGOq-hBpAay7aKW5pmFPB0qSBqiSSnQ6vvVL-2chVmzvx4GaO9iTtN-3y_W5Ilw6Dw854W3Y69fE2aUUerii8fM5bYnCkJbW8GBDa4iweg_3B4-j1q34njFa0jI7jHLddNEYRSum/w640-h480/20240605_211550.jpg) |
Left wing spar leveled and clamped |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijs6agMV4EsmvKB30Q4L4kq0sx8Rvr6lT_lUJCk14VKcMpvtHDQ3gIB9IaME98Qlxz4yGIIpJbz_H8C5ZyTr0mqWSfKEDd0yWaZOrVxPoUmDmgoX8ZSK3g_N2OwuXjsAf8alXlWIzagu_gpwkQKqraANZpsGFDXuCbCqjjqS14VHE2kQFEnsX8YxAQ/w640-h480/20240605_224352.jpg) |
Top skins clecoed to left wing spars and ribs. All parts lined up really well. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcedNqJGiidEAdwBHo-4pRQFJZOTgYX9kC-NbDqOMsbs0D41g6JNm74iJ7P8j3P47Rd1slglRk0aKNLrpmcsL7HuYVop2dEROHLnuFKZYUSyFyFmqEmxFmKsrVVckZBLNnAAPX1lcsvVtWdgUmCXNhxM_rvZx5bK_GIhl-Ip1rPjA1YxwAmA8AZXT/w480-h640/20240605_224404.jpg) |
Inboard rib nutplates clecoed in place
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My daughter and I then started riveting the top skins to the left wing skeleton as we had previously done for the right wing, staring from the center of the outboard top skin working radially outwards.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkavFd5roEampwMqiKfLM0mCsk5UoNQdb1GOhX4z-5F_1ErChKgjY7-sJtRqkR9gcTAP1OqLrKDYp9Td6xRF2o7t6vgTVEpMvLz6YW9ojUHiqn3HIaXJuK-gfTCGuQMJqNX24zaad7dXVGOgQM4YP_WJIuxpKl1aA4CGg2z8LL8Ve0Kx9TpwCT9ZK/w640-h480/20240607_212840.jpg) |
The beginning of left wing top skin riveting |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYA8yCsaAz0ZdoFEGxwGFKNXFexzr-jTgDXAzmNum2RavqTjH_il2E9UY_YCga2_hyYYio4HGiI0fw0PVlbA3W2dlCl8_uUo3dAiwpUeznQu9mtqtMXubVxjGXoJBUJCgK7sBy7QuHxRvANeWTBW5Zx3y7ou-0sjOH5zA_QjGqb6VWhceEBL6iN4K/w480-h640/20240620_215854.jpg) |
Outboard top left wing skin riveted to the outboard end |
Once most of the outboard top skin was riveted on, we started riveting the inboard top skin working out from the center again.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifYlSSF9nIMF7XRCrTXo2kgf1oxYuw30yw5kqYIhQaeCmplpYgYjEvG-omFosBRuKPXTRXnH6-TLyu4WKhkhQxMpqdsq0XiND1VnhgHdWLsmvu_exaRk4X9Z79Zoc6D5dCKYVv-Vqx4pcadi62BbJ0j7DjIaHQmUjR_jfzW2MjvQKogYM5_u13sGb/w640-h480/20240620_215922.jpg) |
Making progress on the inboard top skin |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFJOlFtFMPNOcAL8B97pphvR-3KnNrfOtr_6PwM-MhJEIjB1Cd6DlfLIsWT5RPLFHMu8JEDN9NvQDBTquuKndfiBEbbzoU0ABUuH-XTD6EetXQO80t0f-ecP6RNjBP6NPOG83FG38HEzBEfF8_YY_W9QtMh6uuivO5Md6CDMoCmb5zGLvbdxWZXn9/w640-h480/20240620_215940.jpg) |
Skin rivets over the rear spar doubler took a bit more care to set, but came out well |
With the outboard top skin in place I was also able to rivet the outboard aileron hinge bracket to the outboard rib (first) and rear spar (second).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVF7xi9TwfOsHNsSmx6FKz-Ft4scyL2HANmDud0FAO8uWN2z2HuyubvhWTVrTVhj5MKXiVQMLP4H6lw8zLCwbjc4YYWD4in5rX73KwqmBVzSIPwnBnWfhxQeQYqQrW2VoygxzHWiw-ND8RLgMf29PJvu1hDgsUIlGV_wWxvlQfnEACtaDCllrO30RA/w480-h640/20240621_220936.jpg) |
Outboard aileron hinge bracket riveted on |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwed7C0nYYuAZHbwiPO4JmA44pfJwsOxzyCeVkhtRe_JnX8OF7Id2vkWyICErs_vk4dkUpdyv8dXxOZoQltYbXKJDqHtsCs-8f8yBvsEdm5967DDlYhHKJa1wm0F4Zq9mMg82VLCY1TnILu_XUbe1uIFJK54GK4ricGg-a_uTSW51DWwB0tyGnGIAg/w640-h480/20240621_221005.jpg) |
Shop heads holding the outboard aileron hinge bracket look good after bucking. I riveted to the outboard rib first to avoid clearance issues which would occur if bucking the bracket to rear spar rivets first |
The inboard top wing skin riveting went relatively quickly, and I was able to set the inboard skin to rib rivets, along with nutplates, easily using the pneumatic squeezer.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2n9vfz8icTbA3OnWRyNEAYL1hyphenhyphenlaJUfYBg29xQDgqns-6kTvtN_lokNhivtSg2C3p6o9jjSbyOfUqKhm6FarxnI7Kl_J0Q134ifl1jDMEsJjPaxGVFxVdvYdqbKHGbZ_55G9waoa-mCBaNd0SpkN0-WqRwe9FOhHQfyai6oMkgDLGFVCPfCqB9XFp/w480-h640/20240624_233306.jpg) |
Countersunk rivets over the wing walk doublers came out well |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XzrmcOV1kwf3ttLLn0r7N9gP8nVULoZVCVpk2_IQiwkEPIK0movNEb47bSdOzWTyHa-w8WdOyFbPoyKRm_s1U-QjTSdqKIQuwAK8Zrs_9KwP-W5Yw9-w1woDrE6BsWG3x1EaSAUV5Hxdp9raNvivbnsaH0FvcK_G4uhF4lcB-sugUVcDOh2g4aVk/w480-h640/20240627_210436.jpg) |
All nutplates attached to the inboard rib and skin |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG0k80bR84-6JgB68o1fL-cC0mf7x5jLMASrZvvj_5ciZEcjaeeoUNDGdHSDQ_j2ot-oDQuW5heh0pQ0Nq7rpsYFJuu6dhaCM5pIOL0TcpCt2DM9eCWk-CR-AXIW97G9vJNyvjH-8IIuZOc6xca1yPpDCf67D4EEoVeWZ5JYUMz6xh2s0xgqRDJol/w640-h480/20240624_233653.jpg) |
Last five skin to rear spar rivets were tight but set well using a tungsten bar that has a 45 degree face
With the inboard skin riveted to the inboard end of the wing, the end of top skin riveting is in sight and we moved on to completing riveting in the area where the skins overlap.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHq3Vyb26J5MAVEEs2O0v27RodIeNLOfMLrWaNRv4B6H47uZHWdK8e5ytMSh5iX1zrAPSqxbyaGaBp8q0ieuGV8_lYYYWJzZUnTCLUB6vtvxLxETbE6DLJl67ls7yx8n0Eqn2_SwDJ5nDe0g5UGUn8PAuJNJI1F6gqI_-4IOoKVf3jgkNxbjItVNp/w640-h480/20240625_205342.jpg) |
Starting on the final ~100 rivets to set where the skins overlap |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFKeMmPiUou5hn1hAyl6d0n_w52PcZj8l49_welA0SZB99_4xnDZuEPeq7R7DFNwIZ0RFCTzuheBAVmv9s__ntANAx2R2E7oOD6_5YMZunQ0rWemL9gYFAFTcenVHrWW8_1UZlT-ejFuNl_Aai1w8CJE3gyBeI9vn9sywhjt1fjWgLGpRUf8fEpDY/w640-h480/20240627_205130.jpg) |
Last few rivets to set from skin overlap to rear spar |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_XY4sVxP2LCkUE3alYl6MpOIjYPksBB5dK266GLLT5ijq9h0aXNG-CFx7Ai3rX59vIV9GvOxm8gT1fx-A6YviflNlmL0nEgAQmt65kjQVhYree6QW50AAUHfSU9RgxWgnodruKr-v54f46cG3d_NvtCHUtzBkacoRmfMtZKhprtsUQ4ZNUfkzBZ6/w640-h480/20240627_210345.jpg) |
Left wing top skin riveting completed! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhQ2bClMlBMA5iA2th3I9gINQIy3I_QpvElh7N0zVopr1WAl4HmxAOJe6YRYy87bRUgrK4BoAIfxnF9AARrRy9adEyUGEzP9cBH16lgH5xSM2YROHrv0G8Avc-fI9opXfwK_-alCYzww7wtNCgjdpTs3M94go3Od2prkFS_cswrnjVd1QoButbDF8/w480-h640/20240627_210509.jpg) |
Riveting took about 3 weeks over several short riveting sessions to complete setting of the 836 rivets into the left wing top skins |
Dates: June 4 - June 27 2024
Top Wing Skins Total Time: 60.6 hours
RV-10 Build Total Time: 736.4 hours
Priming Total Time: 83.6 hours (not included in build time totals)