Main radio mast installed. Again, made from aluminum, but this one was salvaged from the Byron, paint removed and wet sanded back to new.
Going back to wrestling with the elevator controls. I think fiberglass rods are out and Sullivan 4-40 Gold-n-Rods are in. This isn't a pattern plane, not used for 3-D aerobatics, so issues with expansion/contraction that I've read about, probably are least of my concerns. I just can't seem to find a way to use the fiberglass rods without cutting into numerous formers. I'd be using holes bigger than I want to see - concerned about strength loss, and I would still likely need to have long 4-40 rods with bends in them. On my Byron, I had fg rods with 4-40 ends with no bends - best setup, all straight. But a glass fuse is cavernous....just don't see it happening, here.
Have seen where some builders use a combination of fg or cf rods and flex rods. I could do this, with "servo to rear of plane" using fg rod, say to F10, and then connecting to flex rod for passing through a former and exiting fuse side. But, I'm leery of having a mechanical connection deep in the fuse where its not easy to inspect.
So, today, I'm narrowing my choices to the Sullivan flex rods or mounting the servos in the h-stab - the latter being my 'last resort' choice.
Haven't cut anything, yet, just placed the rods in the fuse and taped an elevator horn in position.
Two options inside the fuse - run the rods parallel up fuse sides (easier to provide support) or crossed (less friction):
I don't have the cockpit kit in, yet - don't know if the crossed rods would clear the bottom of the cockpit - if not, then bending the flex rods around the cockpit will likely increase friction, losing any benefit of this method. Running the rods up the fuse sides is likely the best solution - easier to provide support and similar friction losses as crossed rods. Will need to get cockpit cut out and rough positioned to confirm.
Exiting the fuse, there is a stringer in the way - will need to remove it and cut new slots on either side of the exit point in order place stringers above and below the exit point
So, I see a 'weight forward' solution with the Sullivan rods. If anyone has any experience using Sullivan 4-40 Golden-n-Rods in a military giant scale application - good, bad, indifferent, please, let me know.