Ok Gents, I have done some repairs to the nose steering, fixed the gear door and found the air leak in the retract system. It was the fill valve!!!!!![:@] Well a bit disappointed but it was an easy fix as I had a replacement from another set. I will pull it apart when I can find the right tool and give it some rubber grease to see if that will fix it for further use.
Also I found the elestic band I had connected to the steering wires to drag them out of the way when the wheel retracts was too tight so I totally rerigged that and now it will not hinder the nose wheel coming down into the air stream.
I did a final weigh-in as well for the heavy model documentation and it comes out to 8.86Kg (19.49 lbs). That is a bit more than the instructions state it should weigh with the retracts installed at 7.7Kg (16.94 lbs). It still flys nicely at this weight though.
I have installed some 13x8 props as my 14x6 wooden Master Airscrew ones didnt survive the long grass and split to the point of unservicability. These new ones were the only ones avaliable in town from my flying mate so beggars cant be choosers. No hobby shops anywhere near here guys!!
If this 15/20 kts of dry, sapping oven hot wind stops tomorrow I will get another flight in. If not it will be do some more little bits and pieces to the bird.
Heres hoping.
Cheers,
Brad