I was having some takeoff/landing issues with my FS ARF that required some overhaul.  The supplied gear and wheel are completely useless.  While tapping a brass tube bushing into the gear mounting hole the nose fell off.  It had been broken before and CA'd back together making another repair nearly impossible.  I'm amazed at how little structure there is in the nose, and how the designers didn't give any consideration to the nose to wing joint.  The doublers are actually smaller then the original TF kit doublers.  There are two styles of doublers used in the original kits, both are considerably more beefy then the current arf.  You can see from the pics that the nose broke right where the doublers end, and that the fuselage is almost entirely super soft 1/16" balsa.  The only real support is for the landing gear and its pretty much pointless since the supplied gear is useless and its in the wrong place for a gear that would actually work.  I also checked the bellcrank through the inspection cover.  I replaced all the kit hardware except the bellcrank, and I should have tossed it too.  I bushed the leadout holes by putting brass tubing over the leadout wires, and you can see where the brass tubing has worn the aluminum bellcrank.  Also the brass bushing in the bellcrank pivot has been eating at the bellcrank resulting in 1/32-1/16" of slop.  All the gray/black stuff in the bellcrank area is really aluminum filings from the bellcrank self destructing. If I had it to do again I'd throw away the supplied fuselage, and all the hardware.  I've put maybe 20 flights on it, I wouldn't expect this kind of wear with this little use. 

It flew ok, no complaints there.  For the price I paid I'm still not angry.  I just think it's stupid that they cut down the size of the doublers and didn't give any thought to a landing gear that would actually work. 

Are fellows the original Flite Streak was designed for combat and I believe the landing gear was an after thought for the sport flyers at the time.  The ARF Streak was designed for another generation of modelers.  I don't beleive it was designed for combat also to cut costs the structure was changed.  Comparing to the kit I have on the shelf I can also see some differences in the size.  Maybe these old eye balls.  Have fun,  DOC Holliday

Wow, there really isn't much in that nose.  What would be the thoughts on filling the empty spaces with some kind of expanding "stuff" ?  Like maybe Gorilla glue or something similar?  If a person was to drill a few small holes and squirt foaming glue into the voids, at least it wouldn't be hollow anymore.

  1/2" balsa must be a rarity in China

Also sandpaper???

Jim

You missed the point.

I did the same thing as Ty, and that extra inch in the nose and extra two at the tail really work!  I also added an "idler horn", (that's what I call it) attached to the fuselage approximately where a flap horn would be, kinda like a flap horn without the flap.  I used a servo horn with all the spokes cut off, but one.  Very smooth, but responsive, plane.   Glen

I don't think anyone is talking about the price, performance, or value.  I don't expect a Trivial Persuit for $50. 
I created this thread to show how lightly built the front end really is.  For the average person who might buy one of these it's not likely to be pampered.  Even the softest crash will damage the nose.  Worse yet the Monokote won't reveal stress cracks under the the covering.  This could very easily become a safety concern.  Top Flite made changes to the design, most probably to lower the price.  A few more square inches of plywood would make the ARF a much better product, without impacting the price or the final weight much at all.  Top Flite provides a few different ways to give them feedback and help them improve their products.  I suggest we give them the feedback.  If we help them improve the product everyone wins.  If we don't tell them when there's a problem, it won't be corrected.   

Any profile with 2 wire landing gears will have the problem you speak of.
Here is what I did to fix mine. All in one. Works real well.