Riveted or stuck, I guess, because you can't easily weld alloy sheet. It
would appear that now you can; I came across a reference to a biz-jet, the
Eclipse 500, that's built by something called friction stir welding. (google
'friction stir welded airframe' or 'Eclipse 500'). So I suppose in
principle you could now build an accurate alloy profile with a completely
smooth surface. Probably big-bucks for capital equipment and tooling so I
doubt if anyone will try building a glider with it, though. And it would
still take just the one hard push in ground handling - small dent - and
there goes your accurate profile.

Graham

"Tony Verhulst" wrote in message
...
one of the first jet bombers built in France, called
Vautour, that was glued instead of riveted, don't know if there
were other ones.

B-58 "Hustler"

Tony V.