I fab'd and riveted the 6 splice plates that join across the two side stiffiner panel's lightening holes. I primed the three stiffiner panels, then pre-painted them plus the bottom side of the forward canopy frame.
With the paint dry, I riveted the assemblies. My son Houston again held the frame on its forward end so that I could rivet the line of AD 427-3 rivets...I used the back-rivet method, holding the bucking bar against the factory head.