Originally Posted by Tommy_Gun

Im not sure you can reinforce the air retracts with the same method used on the electrics.
Look at this post for an explanation for both of your questions.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-w...l#post11552405
Its post #1849 on page 74 of this thread.
At the end of the text in this post I explain that I had removed both steel ballast plates from the nose and this had the effect of moving the CG aft by about 1.5".
You can see in the video how nice this plane flies.
By the way, don't be afraid to slow it down on final approach just before touchdown. I'm seeing videos showing some folks driving it in very fast to touchdown. All that speed is energy, and that energy must be burned off somehow.
Sometimes, in the course of landing at those speeds, the energy has a bad effect on things connected to those long gear legs.
This plane, balanced as mine is, slows down very nicely with the flaps at full deflection and is fully controllable right to ground contact.
Good Luck