the thing won't taxi straight, making runway takeoffs impossible! [][&o] what is wrong?

I don't have an aerobird, but I have a T-hawk and they are mostly the same design.
First, check your landing gear. If they aren't on straight, it's going to make your plane turn one way or another regardless of what you do on the stick because the aerobird doesn't respond very fast at those slow starting speeds.
Second, make sure your control surfaces are level. If one of your v-tail surfaces is off, it could make the aerobird turn once you start going down the runway.
Third, be sure you are taking off directly into the wind. The aerobird is a light plane and it will want to turn into the wind automatically.

Hope that helps

Actually, I think the biggest reason is that the Aerobird's landing gear wasn't designed with ROG takeoffs in mind. It's just mushy, thin wire with cheap injection-molded wheels that barely turn IIRC. The gear is there mostly for looks, and to absorb some of the impact of stuffing the plane in the grass when it runs out of juice.

You can align the gear all you want, but notice that as it rolls down the runway, it's springing all over the place! You need something far more rigid to keep the plane moving in a straight line on the ground.

I used heavier piano wire and larger wheels....worked for a while but became loose in that hole where it's inserted. Needs to be bolted onto the fuselage. I gave up and just hand launch and belly land. You're right - it doesn't take off from the ground straight, anyway.