Bridi Big Bee
Although it looks like a Big Bee, the structure has been totally redesigned .
The two wing bolts are right on the spar, with a third smaller bolt on the trailing edge. The spar itself has tapered caps which are one piece from end to end. That got rid of almost all of the plywood in the center of the wing, and a lot of the plywood in the fuse where the wing bolts would have been.
The landing gear is a single piece of 1/4" wire and mounts with a single bolt which clamps it into a V-shaped recess in the bottom of the fuselage. The fuselage itself is a crutch with formers to support the shell which is laid up from strips of 3/32" balsa. After it was sanded to shape, the shell was covered with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.
The tail feathers have an airfoil shape copied from a P-51 Mustang. They're built up and covered with 1/16" balsa and then glassed. The elevator servos are mounted inside the stabs. The rudder is driven with a pushrod from the servo under the wing.
It was a bit more work, but well worth it. If you think a Bee flies well at 20 pounds (and they do), you should try one at 14 pounds. WOW!!
The great thing about getting rid of excess weight in a plane is that you reduce the loads on the necessary parts of the structure. That means you can make them lighter, too. It's like compound interest in reverse.
Roger