Tim,

I'd recommend that you read Hanson's Tipo article available for download from the Trenton RC pattern page. If you're set on building a plane for coolness factor, the decision is made. You should know however that Dick Hanson and Dave Brown modified the Tipo (after flying many of them) several times over the years to eventually lead to a design with a higher wing location and reduced anhedral. This model (among others) was known as the Illusion.

Although I haven't built an Illusion (eventually I will), I'd bet that those two changes alone produced a better rolling model with less knife edge coupling. If you're building from scratch, it might be something to consider - modify the fuse to bring the wing max thickness up to the thrust line level. If you do so, reduce the stab anhedral to have the tips barely touch the wing tops when viewed end on from the rear. This should be just about 2". Note that this change puts the wing and stab center lines at the fuse side equidistant from the thust line.

Lightening a 1lb foam core wing which contains retracts is in my opinion the last place to save weight and the best place to produce a wing that will snap (as testified above). Good wood selection and light building will go much further toward a light plane. I'd also consider building ailerons from two ply balsa laminate with CF sandwiched in between. These can then be drilled out along their length to reduce weight. Better yet, produce a wing with ailerons cut out from the sheeted core. Both these methods will yield light, warp free, very stiff ailerons.

Smaller Tipo versions will be built later this year with some of these ideas here:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8070218/tm.htm

Have fun! David.