I've been flying my U.S. .40 for several months now, and I've read all the posts on the model. It's a great model, and I've been flying with a K&B .61 twister on board (a great match up for the model). My muffler came appart and not wanting to be grounded, installed a Super Tiger .90. I installed a new mount for the engine, and let her rip. The vertical performance has to be witnessed, for it is awesome. The model has handled the engine well and no real problems until this mornings flight at the field. I did a touch a go and must have nicked the prop, and created a serious unbalence and vibration. I was not aware of the problem at first, but during the flight I needed to keep setting up trim to keep the model flying straight and level. Within less then five minutes, I needed almost full up trim. At this point, I cut power and landed...and just in time. The foward wing hold down dowls had warn through about 20%, and the holes in the forward fuse, had warn too, almost to the top sheet balsa. The combination had created a shift in the wing incidence and raised up the forward part of the wing. The glide was wierd on that last flight, and my rotation for landing was not my usual landing, for I ran out of up elevator and my landing, though not hard, was not a smooth landing...I landed dead stick.

I've read the post where it was recomended that a brass tube be placed over the dowels, and the holes be reinforced in the forward bulkhead...now I now why... I've a little work to do, but I've still a model to fly... I did not heed the good information given and almost paid the price. Folks have had a problem with this powered with .46's mounted in the airframe, and here I am with a .90...and an out of balence prop on a .90 almost sent the model into a early grave...and in less then five minutes of flight time.

I learned something today...heed what I read !

Soft landings always,
Bobby of Maui