Just finished the same model, only took me 18 months... a few things got in the way!

As this is my first build in too many years, so I pretty much followed the instructions and installed what came in the box. I agree absolutely with your suggestion about the ply doublers on the wing bolts though. There seems to be a ply plate under the solarfilm, but on the wrong side. My cowl seems to be much bigger than your tough, making me wonder if I got the cowl from the bigger Phoenix kit by mistake.

First flight was last weekend. A touch of aileron trim and a touch of down trim and it flew very nicely with an OS 46 turning a 10x6. I'm adding some down thrust and side thrust to the compensate for this (none specified on the plan to my surprise - there is for the [very similar] Kyosho version of this kit). I had dual rates set up, which was just as well as it was pretty fast and I am very rusty. After landing I turned to my heck pilot and told him it was my first flight in 20 years - and I have converted from mode 2 to mode 1 in the process. Aren't PC simulators wonderful!

I would certainly recommend this kit as being reasonably well made and good fun to fly.