Mr Cox

I used the Hayes 061 mount, it should also fit the 049 as they have the same case dimensions. I don't have any unused mount left and I did that modification last winter so my memory is a little "weak". The mount is fairly beefy and also has a support for a nose gear that I didn't need. I'm guessing the weight might have gone from about 15g to 10g, so nothing spectacular but it is all the little places that count in the end.

Choosing servos are a little tricky, there is such a jungle out there...
This is one place where one might be tempted to save a little more weight but will then loose both in precision and, what's even worse, also in safety...
So it is always a compromise, too light/weak and you might risk the whole model, too strong and you'll need a larger battery etc.

I don't like to go much below 8-9g servos (or below 1 kgcm torque) except for on the throttle where a failure is not fatal (unless you are also in an awkward position when it fails). On this model I'm using Cirrus 9g servos. It is the first time I've tried these ones so I can't really say anything about their lifespan yet, but they are quick and precise for their size. I just wish the manufacturers would also give a typical current draw, as this seems to vary a lot. A buzzing servo will certainly draw a lot of current...

I don't have the HXT500 myself, but some people seem to like the HXT900 ones. They are 9g and 1.6 kgcm (?) and it sounds to me like a better/safer match.