You'd think that if something came off quite easily then it should go back on with the same ease. Well, you would, wouldn't you? Just goes to show that I was, if not you were, wrong! I have been fulminating against the fact that the undercarriage wouldn't fit back into the same spots that it came out of. What was the lesson? Mark every single item that you take off in terms of where and in which direction. If I ever have to do a similar project again (yeah right!!), that's what I'm going to do. Silly me, I'd thought that all the trunions (what a lovely name that is) that hold each of the legs in place, were all exactly the same. You guessed it -not one was the same : "I don't believe it" to quote a certain actor's character's favourite(?) expression. The other small matter was that the original builder had used standard household roundhead bolts to keep the trunions in place and no nuts. Our resident mentor (and soon-to-be inspector) says "No, proper aircraft standard hex bolts with nuts held in by split pins."
After much huffing, puffing, slicing and grinding, the upper legs had a bit of surgery to make them fit around (I can't say 'over') the bolts. Then was more huffing and puffing to get the legs to match up with the trunion holes. Thank goodness Brian has a bit of engineering knowledge as today we finally managed to get the undercart back together again. Big smiles all round!
Still waiting on a bit more welding to take place before I can finish putting the elevator cables back in place but the next piece of excitement is going to be the arrival of the engine and propeller this week. Now won't that be a sight for sore eyes next Sunday (I can dream)!
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