Next a doubler is bonded inside the window frame. The inside surface of the clear window will have a black stripe painted on its perimeter. This will then be attached to the doubler using clear silicon sealant.
7b. F-18 Front Fairing Progress
|
The first step was to bond the two half shells
together permanently.
Next came the trial and error fitting and trimming to get the front fairing positioned for attachment to the chassis. We also had to cut clearance for the three compartment fuel, oil, and alcohol tank. |
| After cutting away the top flange and grinding the seam flush we prepare to make the cutout for the clear window. The clear Lexan cockpit window (protected by masking tape) is shown here being used as a pattern to mark the fiberglass. | The fairing is shown here after the
window section has been carefully cut out using a reciprocating
saw. Final perimeter material removal to provide an exact fit was
carefully made with a Dremel sanding drum and hand files. |
Next a doubler is bonded inside the window frame. The inside surface of the clear window will have a black stripe painted on its perimeter. This will then be attached to the doubler using clear silicon sealant.