does any one know if they are needed to fly? or can it be flown without the wing struts?

Well, in the real world of flying, Cessna realized that they weren't entirely needed for safe flight. Look at the early model 210's verses the 70's and 80's. However they modified the wing root in order to be able to handle the loading that would be placed on the single point of attachment.

I don't think you will have to worry (too much anyway) about the loading becoming to heavy. Look at how many models that do not use the strut system of wing attachment. Sig's Kadet is one that readily pops into mind. It is quite stable and safe to fly without the strut. However... I would tend to leave 'em on. I just went through this same line of thinking with my 81" w/s Cub that I built. It's a pain to attach/remove the wing for transport with them on but... I have decided to leave them for now.

Just my cheap opinion.

The struts on the Great Planes Cessna 182 ARF are for appearance, only. They are not structural. On other m odels, struts may be structural, but not this one.

On the real airplanes, the struts definitely ARE structural. They support the flight loads when flying, and hold the wings up when the plane's on the ground.

When they took the struts off the Cessna 210's, they added a bunch of structure across the top of the cabin to carry the bending loads of the wing.