Pemberton & Sons Aviation are wasting no time on their N3N-3 project! Reassembly of the fuselage has proceeded all the way to Wendy covering it with cloth. This means that all flight controls cockpit assemblies, guide wires, and everything has been reinstalled. That was all done after either rebuilding or replacing those parts as need be. This includes all the metal fuselage parts that have had the same inspection and process done prior to painting them.
Last we saw the N3N-3, Wendy was applying the cloth. She is now all done so the entire N3N-3 fuselaage so is getting masked off so the cloth can have dope applied. The dope in simple terms brings the cloth as tight as a drum, increases its strength, and makes it possible to paint it with its final color with the look of metal. It is a very precise and time-consuming process. Many coats of dope are applied, and between each sanding and other work is done prepping for the next coat. The actual spraying on of the dope has to be done at a certain temp in a dust and environmental control booth. It’s after all that is all done, then the N3N-3 will go off to receive its final paint and color.
Pilot windshield painted and new glass getting installed captured by Z 9 / Z24-120
The fuselage is not the only item receiving love and new paint. Any part that was painted before has its old paint removed, inspected, repaired, or replaced as necessary and then repainted. The frames of the windshields did as well. Here, the last pain of new “glass” is being installed and a special “goo” is applied around each edge. No part gets ignored, not part too small to be made to look it finest. This is going to be one great looking aircraft when it takes to the skies!