Warbird Information Exchange

Hey WIXers,

Does anyone have access to pictures of a fuselage in a jig??? Looking for any pictures of or descriptions of what the best configuration to build one. Trying to get some ideas on how I want to attack this problem. I would like to build a fuselage roticerie also so I am wondering if I can do both in the same shot.............thinking the roticerie will be just a couple of engine stands off craiglist

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Jeff: There is a book about aircraft production during WW2 that probably has some decent pictures. Jigs can be as simple or as complex as needed to do the job. Combining a jig and a rollover into a single unit for a fuselage as big as N3N is going to make it massive and take some significant steel. The fixture we use at work to simply roll the F-16 center fuselage probably has 3 tons of steel in the cradle and stand, as it looks like an overgrown engine stand. I'll look around in the morning when I get home and see if I've got some decent pics of stuff in fixtures. I do know of some good pics online, but need to bail and get headed for work right now.

Jeff: The following url should lead you to some decent fixture pics. The thing to remember is that fixtures for one-off use are going to be lighter and significantly less refined than those for production.

http://aerovintage.com/forum/viewtopic. ... it=fixture

This is the traditional Spitfire style..
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1235462 ... 0900SBtzxA
And this is the rotissery one we built.
http://spitfireprojecta58-27.blogspot.c ... -results=7
Just keep everything square and level and you should be ok.

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Those who think it,s impossible should leave the ones doing it alone..
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Hello Jeff,

Here is the rotisserie I build for painting the NA-64 frames. I designed it to be used on other aircraft projects also by changing the length of the lower channel. The bearing assemblies for the rotisserie are full pivot in all axes for easy mounting of the mounting fixtures to the fuselage. It also has a pin lock so you can position the fuselage at any angle.





Patrick

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Jeff,

I was going to start by building a jig for the wing center section. Of course this would start with a good section. I have tried to find one to borrow with no luck. After the center section was done, I would expand it in both directions for the rest of the fuselage. My thinking was that once the wing center section is completed, the fuselage can be bolted to it andd restored as needed. I did not take into account making it a spinner however.

RICK

A rotisserie will not be stiff enough for a jig.

You erection and maintenance manual or structural repair manual should have all the points you need to ensure everything is straight.

While an original part to make a fixture is nice, how do you know it is straight? You should still measure anyhow.

You can bolt a hunk of steel tubing to the concrete floor and fabricate your fixture onto that base by welding or bolting. If you can lean your shoulder into your fixture and deflect it where it will fasten to your structure, it probably isn't stiff enough. Remember that if you are welding a fuselage, you may impart significant stresses into the part that you will normalize out later. The fixture needs to be stiff enough to resist that force. The fixture also needs to be stiff enough to support the weight of the component you are building or repairing.

Remember though that lots of folks build homebuilt airplanes with virtually no fixturing whatsoever. You just need to keep measuring and adjust accordingly. Straps or bracing can be used to keep things straight or to align them for welding.