Duane,

Many congratulations on a most well-deserved award and many thanks for all the updates and pictures. With any luck, they will inspire me to get back to work on my Simla. I'm afraid I haven't done anything since going to Ohio for my father-in-law's funeral two weeks ago. A fine man and very much missed.

A major holdup for me is the complexity introduced by the hidden elevator linkage. Basically, it looks like the linkage will have to be fit and mounted before the bottom sheeting and top blocks are glued in. This then means that the horizontal stab and elevator have to be glued on before painting them and before glassing the fuse.

I looked at the idea of cutting a hatch on the side at the tail, but the fuse is too narrow to allow it to be made removable/replaceable.

Anyway, being a perfectionist, the unfamiliar mechanics have brought me to a standstill. I probably just need to do *something* and get off dead center if I hope to fly this before winter returns.

Still looking for a small (and not expensive) compressor so I can paint with something other than rattle cans.

Cheers,
Richard