Myles,
Congratulations on your decision, you won't be sorry.
did you guys Strengthen the vertical fins?
The fins definitely need to be strengthened. I used the 3/16" balsa stock that came with the kit and sheeted them on each side with 1/16" balsa perpendicular to the grain. This made them very stiff and they have held up well. I also reshaped the fins and moved them outboard one rib because I liked the way it looked and to add some additional stability.
I want to build the fuse permanently attached to the wing with a removable hatch for equipment access.
That's the way I did mine. I also lengthened the nose by 6" and made the fuse about 2" wider.
You'll need to eliminate the center wing rib (W1) to make room for your fuel tank and equipment. In the process it is pretty easy to make the fuse as wide as the two W2 ribs. You'll have to make new fuse formers. I lowered the cover in the back to facilitate air to the turbine. A 64 oz. juice bottle makes a perfect tank right on the CG.
Here's a couple of pictures of my under-hatch area. There are more at my build thread:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_24...nforcer/tm.htm
I've been flying mine two years now and have 145 flights to date. Let me know if I can help once you get going on yours.
Joe