finally, it has arrived!! just this morning my new laser3d kit arrived from TowerHobbies via UPS. This is the thread that i will be posting in throughout the building process. I suspect that building this plane, because i have to go to school everyday (too bad), will take me till around January - March of 2003 or so. This is my first really serious kit, AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO COME OUT NICE. i guess i might as well start off with first impressions, so here goes:

I opened the box when it came and instanly knew that i was dealing with high-quality stuff. Everything was very neat and tidy, all squared away with card-board dividers. I have never had a plane with a real cowl so i immediately grabbed it and sat there thinkin' oh, boy, i have to paint it (i hate painting). I got out the plans and was astonsihed immeidiatly at how nice they were. made of relatively thick paper, and very precise. The wing looked absolutely huge! I thought, if i can build this thing, i will really have out-done myself! I'm used to smaller plans so i had to get a 4x8 foot piece of foam to use as a board. The laser cut parts are really nice, no more of those sloppy punched out pieces! Anyway, everything looks great so far and i am currently going through the written instructions. I have several issues to deal with though:
1. the motor mount looks ridiculous. They say you should construct it out of the plywood parts they give you but it doesn't look to strong. I'm using a heavy enya cx-50 in it so i don't know whether or not to use it. Any ideas?
2. I have heard many people say that the elevator is weak and that it needs reinforcing. How do you suggest doing this? The back of the instructions say that they strongly advise against any kind of reiforcement of straying from exactly how they say to do it. Again, any ideas?
3. i have also heard that the plane is better without wingtips. Is it a good idea to build it without them from the start, cut them off later, or just plain fly with them forever? Suggestions?
4. They give you an 8-ounce fuel tank with it but that seems awfully small to me. how about a 12-ouncer?
OK, i have said enough for now, i don't have access to a digital camera at the moment and probably won't for a while. Comments, suggestions, ideas, prasie, hatemail, etc. all apreciated. Thanx.