An aircraft and method of manufacture therefor are provided. A fuselage is
formed of composite materials and in at least two sections, each section
having an integral, internal longeron spanning a length of the sections.
The sections are connected by slidingly engaging a male dovetail connector
on a longeron of one section with a female dovetail connector on a
longeron of another section. Outer edges of the sections of the fuselage
have tongue-and-groove connectors that engage to fasten the edges of one
section to the edges of another section as the sections are slidingly
connected. Fasteners are inserted through the longerons, and other
fasteners are inserted through the connectors of the outer edges.