Don,

if that fuse doesn't work out, let me know. I hope to sort out by the end of the summer the purchase of one from David here on the forum. We have just gotten side tracked on the exchange with one thing and another. I'd have him send you the fuse directly to avoid the double or triple shipping. I believe that particular fuse is of the early GP kits. WK Hobbies initially produced the fuses (at least until GP had the molds sorted out and produced them in house) so it has glass strips running down the sides and along the seams - top and bottom of the fuse. They were a little heavier than the latter fuses produced by GP but were sturdier. Difference in weight would result in what I'd say might result in an 8.5 vs 8.0 lb model so it would be up to the "client" when it comes to your production.

Personally I found the Tipo and Illusion fuses a little torsionally weak. When one compared these fuses to something like an Atlanta or a Conquest, they were "flexy". The main reason is due to the fact that there were no formers, other than the FW, in the fuse. Lateral stiffness was had due to tank and radio plates installled which spanned the width of the fuse so forward of the wing TE the fuses were fine. Rearward, rather flexy including the tail area where twisting the stab from side to side from the tips results in the entire fuse twisting up to the wing TE area.

Nowadays, you could do a really cool job, like you already do, by adding CF along the sides and perhaps a couple of pseudo formers by wrapping CF rings around the tail boom. I'm sure you have the best way to achieve stiffness in the back figured out.

Here are some pics of an earlier darker fuse with the glass side strips (first four) and then a later lighter one without them (next three). Note also that GP chose to not produce the pipe tunnel in the belly pan in the later versions - presumably with the idea of locating the pipe alongside it (as in the Tipo) rather than tucked into it using a cranked header that were originally produced by Hatori, Macs and others. According to Paul, the cranked headers can still be sourced these days; I believe in England.

Just some thoughts which primarily stem from my recent push on a Tipo build - getting to the "bondo" finishing stages. I'm stoked!

David.