doorag,
The tubing in my A-10 wasn't long enough either. I didn't notice it until after I cut the first piece. I installed it per the instructions. That left the 2nd piece slightly short but it made no difference. You should be able to use the shorter piece without any trouble.
If you haven't flown before, see if you can get someone to help you get the A-10 in the air. It flies like a trainer almost, but it is delicate and won't survive rough landings, crashes..etc. The good news is...with foamies you really have to hurt them to make them unrepairable. Just glue all the little pieces back together !
