This coming week I plan to put in the fuselage brackets that will attach the wing struts. I have to admit, the wing struts are something I've put off and avoided up to this point. I wish the plane didn't have them, but I'm going for stand-off scale, so they need to be installed.

Tower Hobbies has airfoil shaped tubing and I will order some of that. I'll have to custom fab it and paint to match the plane. I don't want to use the supplied wood dowels from the kit. Looks cheesy. I need to get the struts fabbed and then mount the brackets inside the fuse for the attachment point. I can't install the attachment brackets until I know what angle they need to be when the struts hook up.

After I do the wing struts, I can put my tank in and finalize the plumbing. No point in putting the tank in yet. I need to work inside when I install the strut brackets.

After the struts and tank are complete, I can probably begin installation of the cabin windows. I have no idea where this is going to balance, so I'm hesitant to put the windows in until I find a spot for my RX battery. Once the windows are in, you're stuck working through the top of the plane. Been there, done that. No fun. I want to keep the windows out until I'm sure everything inside the fuse is done.

After the windows are in, I will put the plastic drinking straws in to simulate the structural tubing of the airframe.

Then I will put my tail surfaces on and cut the pushrods to length. Dial in the servos and get the radio programmed. I have the mix for the elevator servos already programmed, but I'll need to adjust endpoints and expo.

Then the pilots. Then the landing gear and tail wheel.

Then sand and paint the cowl.

The club meeting is Jan 04, 2009. Thats when the planes must be brought to the meeting and entered into the building contest. I'm still not sure if I can pull this off. Lots of work to do and I've only got 3 weeks.