On June 17th, you can see where the silicone after drying was cleaned up around the wing ‘craddle’ in the fuselage in the featured image above.
In the image below you can see where the hatch, covered in yellow to match the top of color scheme of the aircraft, was screwed into place. This allows access to the nose where weights have been installed, if necessary.
I also installed the water rudder. This allows for better steering of the aircraft when taxing in the water. In the left image below you can see the ‘stopper’, screw with a piece of fuel line tubing covering, sticking out. This prevents the rudder, when in flight, from getting stuck in the up position or in a spot that would prevent the planes rudder from functioning properly. That way, once you get back in the water the water rudder will drop back down allowing you to steer while taxing again.
I cut the ‘water rudder’ out of a piece of metal after tracing a template using the table jigsaw and then using a metal filer to file off all the burs / rough edges providing a smoother finish. Want to make sure it can cut the covering, me, etc.
Wow, I’m now all caught up on my Seamaster Build posts! I’m not calling this build done yet, and has been a two year process as got started late on this one (Feb. 10, 2018) so perhaps 1.5 building seasons. 🙂
I will have to check into what all is left to do, beyond starting it up and seeing how everything moves along with the maiden voyage. Not sure where (or when) that is going to happen!