I have done a little more research on the idea. Weight is a bit of a problem. Even if i scale the formers down and use less of them, i think that the overall weight will be increased by at least 30%. MAJSteve, in order to get the most strength and nicest weld on each joint it should be as clean as possible. you may even have to rough up the tubing where it is to be welded. As far as kinking the alum on a hard landing I feel that it may be best to use thin walled very small rectangular tubing. If you kink that, it would be on a landing that would destroy a balsa plane. I have come up with a few advantages to building an alum plane.
1. I like to work with aluminum.
2. I have all of the necessary tools. If I don't have something it gives me a good reason to tell my wife why I bought a certain tool.
3. I can weld the servo horns to the plane rather than bolt or glue.
4. It will give people something to talk about.
5. I can weld an alum fuel tank into the wings.
6. If it doesn't ever get off the ground i can hang it in my shop with my balsa models which have old brittle glue anyway.