I actually opened the box of the ARF Smoothie I won in a raffle.  OOOG, the covering.  Good thing I have been working with MoneyKote since it was invented.  Several hours later, we have only micro-wrinkles ironed into the surface here and there, but nothing that will add to the air drag.  Next up was the landing gear.  I filed round corners on the Aluminum gear.  No polish, maybe later.  However, I added a 3/32" Birch Ply tripler to the gear mount and 1/4" square spruce braces on the sides and front.  Then replaced the short ST screws with much longer ones in front and somewhat longer ones in back.  That should help.  Wish there was room for 4x40 bolts and blind nuts without re-drilling the LG.

One flap is warped, I'm working on it.

That is a Huge Model. (for me, anyway)

Due to house rework, everything is pretty much packed away in the garage and unavailable.  Very frustrating when you consider what great tools I own.  Anyway, my modeling is down to the level of when I was a teenager with X-acto knife, Zona saw and hand drill.  As such, this is actually a more difficult project than it should be for me.  If it ain't easy, it ain't a' gonna get done!

BTW, the elevator and stabilizer are both half round.  Without leaving a hideous gap, how do you hinge this without the interference causing the controls to bind (I was given a model with this problem once, and I do learn)?  My current thoughts are Monokote hinges or sewn hinges, both of which will function on this configuration without binding.  Sewn spiderwire would last forever, but isn't all that pretty.  (Of course, I am never going to get appearance points with this ARF anyway, so who cares?)  Monokote would be easy, prettier and seal the gap, too, but tends to come apart eventually.  Decisions, decisions!

Well, I'm committed (perhaps I ought to be, anyway), and went with over/under hinges made from Ultracote.  The white doesn't match precisely, but you can't have everything.  The inherant gap sealing of this type hinge was the decider.  The elevator is done, the flaps are being epoxied to the horn even as we speak.  Brodak horns need to be carefully bent into alignment before use.....   

Larry: If you haven't found out yet, the cut out for the elevator horn at the fusalage rear is a little to high to let the stab. sit flat on the fusalage. minor sanding fixes that.

Larry: I'm putting an OS 35FP in mine, what you gonna use ? I also used the BH-489 tank as you need a narrow one for the top hatch to fit. 3/8 th's K&S brass tube sharppened worked great for needle valve hole. They call for a 2" spinner, but seems just a hair small ? oh well. How about some pics ? would love to see it.

Larry,
You might want to rethink the Saito for the ARF Oriental - they tend to come out nose heavy so a light engine like the Brodak may be a better choice.  The Smoothie, however, tends to be a little tail heavy so it might be a better home the the Saito.  The Smoothie has a little less tank space since only a 1 3/4 wide tank will fit, so the four stroke might also be a better choice.  My Smoothie ARF has a Thunder Tiger 36 on it an the CG came out right on.
Steve

   The latest -  I took my finished wing to the KOTRC club meeting for show and tell.  Due to other commitments, I put it in the car in the morning and, of course, the meeting was in the evening.  We had record heat yesterday, and when I hauled out the wing for the meeting, my perfectly reshrunk covering was rippled all over.  Bummer!  Even bigger bummer, the bellcrank had loosened up from it's mount!  It looks like the nut and bolt were not very tight, and whatever they used to glue the bolt to the mount went away.  I will cut into the wing to evaluate and fix it.

I am VERY glad this happened now, not after completing assembly of the rest of the model!   

Be afraid!  Be very afraid!!!