It would be worth checking out Joe's original framed-up article pictures (they were in colour and in RCM if memory serves) as they show the model as he first envisioned it. I seem to recall it being pretty arrow shaped in the tail boom which is often where we note whether a builder did a 1/4" radius or took the filthy bird to task as it ought to!

One of the things I decided to change in the re-design of the DB40 for laser kits was to swap out the top tristock (which was 3/8" originally I believe) for 1/2" stock. While this may seem like a lot of unnecessary dead wood, the idea is for it to be sanded to the limit while still retaining a surface of contact between the stock and the top and side sheets. Some like to paint their tristock to measure the extend they've gone deep into it - not a bad idea although I've never tried it.

Regardless, each builders dirty bird will vary is shape and contour based on their comfort level and skill in shaping a box like fuse. I think for this reason we see many wood fuses that are more boxy in shape compared to the glass versions (of the DB60 - I've never seen a glass DB40 or DB20 for that matter) whose shape remained constant in that which was given by the builder of the original plug - as Bryan rightly points out.

Attached are two pictures of Greg's nicely produced DB60's back in the day. He'd have to clarify whether these were glass or wood fuses but in either case, they are both very nicely contoured fuses. Last picture is of a Trenton DB40 which also has a nicely sculpted wood fuse.

David