Had maiden flight with it today and it didn't go very well. Very sluggish and hard to control. Lost it behind some trees and didn't even see it go down. Damage was extremely minimal. Everyone was shocked at lack of damage. I was very lucky. I balanced it on a GP balancer with the retracts up like everyone says you're suppose to, but when you extend the retracts, it becomes very nose heavy. If I balance it with the retracts down, then when you retract them, its tail-heavy. My WM Rambler 45 balances just about the same w/retracts up or down, so I am kinda stumped. How are you guys balancing it? I see the manual says to do it upright with your fingers lifting it with retracts down, but I've never had much sucess with the finger method. The plane was upside-down during balancing too.

Thanks

I have this same plane. Maidened it a couple weeks ago. My initial balancing was right on to a tad tail heavy and this is not good. I stuffed my 1800mah battery up under the fuel tank and added a bit of weight. Those CG machines a nice but i do mine with my finger. I find the CG on the bottom of the plane. I put a little bit of pinstripe on the bottom on each side of the wing.
Then I get in front of the plane put my hands underneath and feel for the tape. Pick it up and it the nose drops. I am a happy man. If it balances perfectly, well I add some weight. I feel its better to have the plane noe heavy than to be right on. My best guess is you flew a tail heavy plane.