John Peacock's Mustang II Page

John Peacock's Mustang II Page - Wet Wing Photos

A "wet wing" is an aircraft wing that doubles as a fuel tank. The fuel is held between the front spar and the skin of the leading edge of the wing. Rivets cannot be installed on the wet wing with clearance holes, making it more difficult to buck the rivets as they're going through the skin to the ribs. So, these photographs show the process of installing the ribs into the leading edge skin prior to attaching the rib/skin combination onto the front spar. This allows the front skin to be installed without having to hold the skin away from the ribs while bucking the rivets. The ribs are attached using an aircraft-quality capped pop-rivet through the spar into the ribs. All this is sealed with Pro-Seal.

Port Fuel Line
Port wing rib and detail of fuel line (and pump).

Port Fuel Pump
Another photograph of the port wing, showing a better view of the fuel pump.

Port Outer Rib / Gage
Outer rib of the port wing, with fuel gage and flasher light.

Starboard Wing Fuel Line
The starboard wing and fuel line.

Fuel Gage Sender in PVC Tube
This photograph is of an 8' long fuel sender going through a PVC tube to keep it from contacting the wing skin, thus preventing a short-out.

Fuel Tank / Wet Wing Dimpling
Here, the wet wing fuel tank is being dimpled.

Wet Wing Photo #1

Wet Wing Photo #2

Wet Wing Photo #3

Wet Wing Photo #4

Wet Wing Photo #5

Wet Wing Photo #6
This photograph is the left wing skin, showing a PVC tube being used to keep the fuel sender in. This needed to protect the sender from contact.

Wet Wing Photo #7
This photograph is showing the 1/8 inch pop rivets that are used to plug or rivet through the spar to wing ribs.

Wet Wing Photo #8
This is left wet wing skin. The spot is pro-seal on inside of the fuel drain plug hole.

Wet Wing Photo #9
This is right wet wing. I should have used more pro-seal, as I found six leaks through the spar upon testing.

Wet Wing Photo #11
This is right wet wing.

Wet Wing Photo #12
This one is of the wet wing end rib with Pro-Seal on. The opening is for the fuel sender.

Wet Wing Photo #14