Yes ... I have just built the 40+. Had a major hiccough on it's maiden. I flew it yesterday for the first real time. See [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/When_excited%25%25%25%25_take_a_step_back%25%25%25/m_1188099/tm.htm]Thread on my crash....[/link]

Well, It seems to fly OK, but I was finding the Elevators to be sluggish. The setup is as specified by the instructions. The control rods are the 2-56 ones which are coupled together with wheel collars. Further, there is still quite a curve in the rods as they exit at the tail. Basically, I find there is a fair amount of binding. I am an intermediate pilot, so I was using the high/low rates as specified in the instructions for my flying. I imagine that at 3D it would be worse.

On the other hand, my experience is based on a re-constructed 40+ that I am not yet comfortable flying (flown it for 15min airtime...). Further, the sluggishness was when trying to find the characteristics of a loop. From straight and level, at 1/3 throttle, an aggressive full up elevator (high rates) caused the nose to go up... but then the plane would stall or something, and it would "mush" out of the loop, sort of "balloon". It would then settle into an almost level attitude again (which could have been my instinctive response to the plane not behaving as I expected in the loop). It could be that the plane is basically entering a horizontal waterfall effect.... I wold not really know.

Anyway, even on the ground there is a fair amount of elevator servo buzzing at "idle" as it tries to overcome the tight control system. I would feel more comfortable knowing that the servo

So, I am looking to upgrade the elevator servo to a high torque one (and swap out the control rods with 4-40 ones).

Further, the layout of the servo's is not great for the plane in the instructions. Looking to the nose, the layout is given as Rudder servo on the left (with control arm right against the fuselage). Then the elevator servo with the coupled control rods at the rudder servo side. Then the Throttle servo with the control arm on the right fuselage side. All servos have the servo arm at the nose end of the plane.

The problems with this arrangement is that the rudder servo arm length is limited by what can fit between the servo and fuselage. The servo has to be pretty close to the fuse to allow for the elevator servo arm.

If I were to do it again, I would keep the servos in the same order, but turn the elevator servo around. Then shift all the servos as close as possible to each other and to the right side of the Fuse. The Throttle servo arm does not need to be long, so put it on the fuse side of the throttle servo. Cut the elevator servo control rods shorter than the instructions say, and put them on the elevator servo. This leaves plenty of space for the Rudder servo and arm.

You will have to "bash" the designated balsa piece that has the holes in them to accept the control rod tubes at former F4. It will also be fiddly to deal with the elevator rods under the wing bolt plate, but I think it would be worth it.

I am not sure where you would find the space in a "normal" configuration for a pull-pull rudder system. There just does not seem to be enough space unless you have the rudder servo higher than the elevator.

Well, you get the idea... I think a better arrangement of the servos would be beneficial. I don't like the binding that happens with the coupled elevator control rods. and there is too much bend to get them through former 5 and the fuse.

One final thing, The rudder has a 3" high rate deflection. Using the supplied control horn on the rudder the contol rod needs to be able to go through a significant arc to push/pull the horn. On my plane this causes the rod to be alternately too close to the fuse, and then too far from the fuse as the rudder swings through the arc, causing there to be a fair amount of side-ways force on the nylon clevis (you can see it bending under the load). There is possibly a better way to do this (pull pull would work).

Anyway, all in all a cool plane, and fun build.

Oh, one final thing. I found that the area around the front of the cockpit was weak. If you want to pick up the fuse, you put your hand over th sheeting at the cockpit front area. Well, on my plane this caused the fuse sides to bend inwards. I recommend putting a single 1/4" square stock underneath the cockpit floor right at the front of the cockpit to brace the fuselage sides together. Add's 1 gram or so to the weight, but makes the fuse that much more rigid to handling.

Oh, another "one more thing". In my rebuilt version of the 40+ I have put an access hatch in the fuselage floor underneath the working end of the fuel tank. Man, this makes such a difference!

gus