ORIGINAL: Prop Nut
Word to the wise on the DVII though, KEEP IT LIGHT! This engine is no powerhouse and most of the Balsa USA DVII's are comming out 20lb or higher (mine is 21 and I built it light as possible). Others tell me that thiers are 17-18 pounds with a G26 (remember, a G26 is 2 1/2 pounds lighter) I had a couple of scary flights when high humidity seemed to rob my Briggs of most of its power. The plane took off but it wallowed in the air....got it back to the field with no problems though. The DVII is increadibly forgiving.
Prop nut. I hear ya! The fuse is framed(and has been for much too long!) and is really light. The wings aren't SUPER light, but they aren't lead surfboards either. I think I can it in at @20 lbs to start,even with a 5+lb engine. I have a Fokker EV/DVIII that flies at 17 lbs(2and 1/2 lbs of which are lead) with a Tartan engine(24cc glow) so I think this 40cc gasser will be fine. Adding lead to models really annoys me so why not put in 5 lbs of motor instead of 3 lbs of motor and 2 lbs of lead? One thing nice about this engine is that I will be able to test fly it without all the paint and/or detail on it to check performance and not have to worry about getting oily exhaust all over it before I finish it up.
Thanks again for your advice,
J