RCU Forums - Herr kit

I just built one of these with a norvel .061. I'd have to say I am pretty dissappointed with its flight characteristics. I weighed it out and the .061 setup (engine, servo, tank) was only a ounce heavier than the electric setup (motor, speed control, battery) before fuel. I added ailerons to it as well which only added another half ounce for the servo. Total up and running weight with fuel was 13.5 oz. The box shows 9. I weighed it with electrics and it came out to about 12 so I don't know where they get 9 from. Anyway the .061 is seriously overpowered for this plane. It can prop hang at less than 3/4 throttle with a 6x3. At full throttle it pulls out verticle quickly. Here are the problems.....

First, have to add lots of right trim due to torque of engine.
Second, no slow fly due to inherant instability. I have read several posts on this plane having a tendancy to spiral in and I have had this happen unexpectedly 4 or 5 times. Luckily I was up high enough to be able to recover. I moved the center of gravity both forward and back on several flights trying to find a sweet spot where this wouldn't happen. Mostly I think its due to too much throw on the elevator and a short fuselage. After many hairy flights I got it to fly 1/2 way decent but it hates right turns, does ok inverted, easily loops, lands HOT. I actually limited the throttle (via computer radio) to about 3/4. Hand launches had to be done at less than 1/2 throttle or it would torque over immediately on launch and crash (luckily I was testing in 4 foot high weeds). I recently put floats on it and flew it from a hand launch. Once again it likes 1/2 throttle or less for flying and slow easy manuevers. Off the water it has plenty of power to come up on step and would take off fine but out of the 3 times I went out I only got a chance to try to takeoff once and I did a water loop and busted a float from its mount. If I were to do it again I would make the wing longer by one extra spar length on each side. Probably would go with the throttled .049 (second thought, no I wouldn't, even though I supposedly know better). I just retired it as a gas plane. After 20 flights I was hoping this would be a neat little park plane but its too unstable to feel comfortable with. And BREEZY DAY? Ha Well being that its a covered wing and not undercambered I am sure they may call it that. However, I would fly my old GWS cub in twice the wind that I would fly this in. I have 2 other herr kits (Cloud ranger, AT-6 Texan) both are excellent flyers, a 1/2a house of balsa Chipmunk and ME109, and some 40 size planes. Really I suppose you can't expect a 14oz or less plane to handle a "breezy day" (8 mph is norm and 15 would be breezy here in Illinois). I just finished mounted the 280 motor back on it. We'll see if I can squeeze some fun out of this yet (got nothing to lose).