Charlie,

I'm using the new stock Yellow Aircraft gear with the semi-scale struts. Stock Y/A nose strut. In other words, nothing needed to handle extra pounds. I did make the same mod to the main struts that I do for DF, with the insertion of a rubber washer inside the shock. I do that as much to stand the ass end of the plane up higher as to reduce the slamming of metal to metal. It works fine either way.

Since I have the ARF, it comes with ailerons and flaps precut and hinged. You have to install the servo into the precut well. The hatch is already cut and screwed down. Yes, the rudders are cut out, too. The hinges are glued into the rudder, but not the fin because you have to glue the fin to the fuse, and install the rudder linkage.