Hello Richard, I really believe your doing the proper thing by making access. I didn't when I did mine and I'm certainly regretting when I have to the surgery. Lessons learned and each time it becomes a lesson. I would feel one easy option would be ARF Oriental method. That in my opinion would certainly be the easiest. This utilizes the all tubes forward tank . This certainly would interfere with the wire gear in the stock kit I believe. The ARF uses aluminum gear which conveniently releases on landing. This would just require some additional bracing for the gear pad. The other option would be to cut out the formers for the shape of the tank so the tank could be slid in from the front when the engine is removed. I know the nose ring hangs below the beams and this may get the tank wedged in between the first former and the beams. I would take that into account. Maybe is possible oversizing the first hole in the former. Ken

On an Oriental, I'd prefer a standard cowl, but whatever.