Vampire,

Thanks for the measurements, 3/8" isn't as much as I had hoped though! I really appreciate all the help you've offered and you're right, the best thing to do is move the batteries forward. I was trying to avoid a "hard" solution in favor of an easy one but in this case, adding weight is not really an option I like.

I have started to re-work a new battery tray which will sit above the motor mount, the batteries will slide in from the cockpit hatch cover opening making battery changes quick (a must). This will move 20 oz of LiPo from behind the firewall to in front of it (4 1/2 " forward measured center to center) placing a total of 34 1/2 oz in FRONT of the firewall. This "should" make my balance issue go away, in fact, I expect I wont need any additional weight to balance out at the recommended point as in your case. By moving the batteries, I'll be able to keep my existing weight 9 lbs - 10 oz (plus prop shaft adapter, prop and spinner) for a grand total of 10 lbs - 2 oz flying weight!

Thanks again for the advice and pushing toward a "real" fix...

Jack