bikerbc, You must have the current Hanger-9 80" J-3 Cub #HAN4000 with a 2 piece wing using a wing tube. It will also have wing struts with jury struts and a scale looking main gear. I have the older Hanger-9 J-3 Cub #HAN1500 with a 1 piece wing, no jury struts and an aluminum dural type main gear. The older one that I have (HAN1500) does not need the wing struts to fly. The manual states "The struts are for aesthetics only.", "They are not a structural member of the airframe." . So, is it possible that your buddy that flew without the struts has the older version or is he as you state "just lucky"?