Sorry Dick, I was born in 1954, so the reed era predates my first RC flight in 1970. I am glad that somebody here has actually used a CG 5 channel system. I guess that you are now the expert on this radio.
Since I bought this xmitter, I have searched for an RT-5 receiver, without any luck. The closest I came was an RT-5 receiver parts package kit. This has a simple metal chassis plate, printed circuit board, and all the parts to build a receiver. Except the reed and 5 relays, top and bottom of the receiver were not part of this kit. So not quite a receiver, but close and it only took a decade to find it. I will post pictures later.
Paul, I think we had the same idea when I saw the T-8 with good paint. I think that a silkscreen might be the way to approach this. I did the artwork some time ago for a F&M Digital 5, and it takes time flipping bits and finding old fonts. It took about 4 hours to make that artwork, but finding the right software speeds it up. I live on my IPad, so I have to find a desktop with a ton of MS bloatware.
Jay, I think you did not see the entire T-8. It has two gated control sticks with the left one replacing the push button of the T-5.
Jon, I don't mind cutting parts. For ribs for a constant chord wing, I make a template from 6061 aluminum and put some double sided tape on the template to hold it to the balsa as I cut the ribs. on the other hand...