Hokay guys - things are actually looking up a bit. I've found some contributing causes, mostly too light equipment I think. Every one of the control rods is bendable (beyond being bent as they are), or maybe flexible is a better word. When I rebuild her I'll put in the larger/heavier control rods. Not sure of the actual size rating but I know they're available through Tower.
Radio's 72 MHz FM, and it's operational - believe it or not. Yeah, I do range checks on EVERY radio I use, every time. Learned that a long time ago. On days where there's heavy activity around me I'll do a range check every hour or so too - just in case. Anyway, I hooked the battery up last night after soldering a new connector onto it (old one's shattered and bent like a pretzel) and every control input works. One servo is toast (throttle), the other 4 (elevator, rudder, twin-ailerons) are good through their entire movement sphere. What DOESN'T work properly is the switch - and it's a brand new one, or was. There are "dead" spots on it. You can turn it on and it'll work, then not work. Shake it and it works again, then doesn't. I put another older switch into the system and everything came alive again.
So! While I'm rather convinced that the control rods, if they weren't failing already - would have eventually - the radio, actually the switch itself, is most likely the real culprit. It's been dumped and the other switch in now on-line. This is, as I said earlier, the last of 4 that I bought as a group a long time ago - I may eventually replace it anyway with a new Futaba 72MHz 4-channel. Tower still carries them and isn't planning to discontinue any time in the NEAR future (already checked that out some time back).
I'm already looking for a replacement engine. It'll definitely be a .60 too, I love the power they have and watching this bird going up vertical without slowing - what a trip!!!
Already started stripping the covering from the right wing, which is the one with the most damage inboard. Also took the bottom rear off the fuse so I can start on a few minor upgrades there, while I'm at it.
Y'know I've always built my planes like they were tanks, I've never had one come out at the designed weight - always heavy. Good thing too, the rebuild's not going to be all THAT extensive or difficult, just gonna take time and patience. Having had all the rain we've gotten lately wasn't a bad thing either - ground was fairly soft. Impressive seeing that crater the engine left.