ORIGINAL: Pale Rider
The beauty of the hobby is customizing and building something unique.
That's
your perspective. To those of us more logically inclined, it doesn't make sense to try and make a silk purse from a sow's ear when there are obvious smarter and more cost effective alternatives available. One doesn't have to heed logic, but it never hurts to listen.
Its nice that you obviously build all of your aircraft according to the plans, but that's not enough for everyone.
Now who's being condescending of a differing point of view whilst claiming the high moral ground of admiring individual expression? Pardon my chuckle won't you? Not that I mind. But not only is it an incorrect presumption, it contradicts the "freedom of creative expression" perspective to which you allegedly adhere.
I personally don't like planes that look like the picture on the box, you may and that is your perogative. But please don't disparage those who go the extra mile to make something truly special.
Disparagement wasn't on my agenda. Offering an logical rather than 'creative' alternative through advice to a the neophyte was.
Changing the colour scheme neither costs anything nor alters the flight characteristics. That's creative expression. Altering the design does. That's simply dumb unless you know what you are doing.
In the case of the Four Star, its target market and obvious experience of the original inquirer, he will benefit most by KISS and flying
lots.
Sticking with the original design save perhaps increasing the volume of the fuel tank to better suit the consumption of his intended power plant, changing the tailwheel to one not dependent upon the rudder hinge strength and taping the canopy on are really all the mods required in the Four Star for operational longevity & reliability. Intentional shear points at the base of the vertical stab and gear block should be left as just that. If the latter presents a problem to any flyer of a Four Star, they need to forget "creativity"and return to their pimary trainer for further tuition and reinforcement in approach and landing technique until they master the basics. Save the energy of 'individual expression, 'customisation' & "creativity' for the colour scheme - or build # 2 or 3 of the design. In the case of the Four Star, it'll perform manoeuvres out of the box better than any neophyte (to whom the intended advice was proffered) can expect to master before rampant consumerism exhausts initial excitement and diverts his attention the next novelty.