I know this is an old thread but looking back is a fun thing. I competed with a Magic in '82-'84 in the old Masters class. I moved up from a Phoenix 8 which is also a very good flying plane. I don't really remember who's kit it was but most likely a HB. I powered it with an ST-X60 RE with a Hatori header and a Mac pipe with a after muffler aka Hanno's style. I first had a Pro-Line Custom Competition 7 then replaced that with a Futaba 8JN. I don't remember any coupling issues but I do remember the plane was very smooth and fast. It died when the elevator servo quit and the plane flew off into the trees and it took me 8 hours to find it. After that plane I briefly completed with a Tony F Challenge then slowly moved away from pattern.